


War of Hearts

by babypupper



Series: Malec Collection [1]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: #SaveShadowhunters, #fucktheclave, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, BAMF Alec Lightwood, BAMF Magnus Bane, Background Clary Fray/Jace Wayland, Background Luke Garroway/Maryse Lightwood, Background Ragnor Fell/Catarina Loss, Background Simon Lewis/Isabelle Lightwood, Confident Alec Lightwood, Endgame Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Good Parent Maryse Lightwood, Head of the Institute Alec Lightwood, High Warlock of Brooklyn Magnus Bane, Hurt Magnus Bane, Hurt/Comfort, Isabelle Lightwood Ships Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, M/M, Magnus Bane Deserves Nice Things, Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood First Meet, Magnus Bane is a Prince of Hell, Minor Character Death, Protective Alec Lightwood, Protective Asmodeus (Shadowhunter Chronicles), Protective Siblings, Slow Burn Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Soulmates Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Temporary Character Death, asmodeus is somewhat of a good father here
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-05
Updated: 2019-09-11
Packaged: 2020-01-05 02:48:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 84,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18357062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/babypupper/pseuds/babypupper
Summary: People are suddenly vanishing in outwardly fashion, werewolves and vampires alike are getting possessed or slaughtered, and Shadowhunters are clueless and confused. There seems to be something dark looming over both worlds and as their numbers begin to dwindle, the foreboding sense of extinction consumes them all. The leaders of the Downworlders band together with the Head of the Institute, Alec Lightwood, in hopes of forging a plan to figure out what is going on. Unable to come to a conclusion, they instead come up with a plan that’s so dangerous, they may not even walk out alive. They decide to visit the most dangerous, and mysterious, Warlock of the Shadoworld, who just so happens to not only be the High Warlock of Brooklyn but a Prince of Hell. However, it won’t be easy. The Warlock has made it known that they’re not too fond of Nephilim’s and their identity is a mystery. Confronting a Warlock that has a short fuse and distaste for Shadowhunters is a real ballsy move. But it was either banding with a dangerous force or watching all worlds burn to ashes.Will the distrustful and coy Warlock come to peaceful terms with the Shadowhunters and aid them in their troubles? Just who, or what, is causing all of this chaos?





	1. monsters (the hunt has just begun)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You'll be wishing you would listen when you meet your demise  
> Your heart hits like a drum  
> The hunt has just begun  
> Monsters stuck in your head  
> (we are, we are, we are)  
> Monsters under your bed  
> (we are, we are, we are)  
> We are monsters"

    “With all due respect,” Meliorn intervenes before the argument could intensify, “now isn’t a great time to call a cabinet meeting, Mr. Lightwood. Tensions are high, all around.”

 

    Alec exhales, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I’m aware of that, but that’s precisely why I called you all here today. We need to discuss what’s been going on and figure out some sort of game plan.”

 

    “Look, guys, can we just focus here?!” Isabelle snaps as she slams her hand on to the table. The argument Rafael and Luke were having — something about Rafael blaming Luke’s newest additions on the deaths of his clan members — immediately silenced.

 

    “I get it. You have problems. We _all do_. That’s why we’re here. To figure out just what the hell is going on. But if you both don’t shut up, by the Angel, I will _drag_ you guys out of this Institute by the ear.”

 

    It all happened about 2 weeks ago; the first signs of what they dubbed ‘the apocalypse.’ They had experienced something before; a demon jumping from host to host to create chaos and leave a trail of bodies behind in its wake. The same thing has happened, however, it’s now by tenfold. Shadowhunters, werewolves, vampires, even mundanes — _everyone_ is suddenly getting possessed and many, _many_ , people are dying.

 

    Everyone’s at a loss as to why. The people fighting the demons are dwindling in numbers. The strength and motivation to fight the darkness looming over them is beginning to ebb away by the passing days. Tensions are high between everyone and war is threatening to break loose because of it.

 

    All worlds are in a chaotic rampage filled with devastation, violence, and bloodshed and the only lead they got is that demons are at work.

 

    Hence, why they’re all gathered in the Institute. More specifically, a private room in the Institute, set for secret meetings solely for the Leaders of the Downworld.

 

    Alec Lightwood, the current Head of the Institute, had begun this whole Downworlder Cabinet Meetings in hopes of fixing the mistakes of the past and bring about peace and transparency between the Shadowhunters, the werewolves, and the vampires. It’s been a bit of a work in progress but, hey, it’s _progress_.

 

    “If you’re here to try to discuss what’s been going on,” Meliorn speaks up, eyes glancing over at the werewolf and vampire in disinterest, “you better begin talking, Mr. Lightwood. Patience _is_ a virtue.”

 

    Meliorn wasn’t the Queen of Seelies, obviously, but he was the Queen’s chosen messenger and subject; the sole person she relied on to represent the Seelies. He was coy and cunning and the hardest one to convince when it came to joining the meetings since he was the voice of the Queen. The Queen wasn’t particularly fond of the Shadowhunters but after what happened with Valentine some months ago and them saving her ass from obliteration, she figured she’d at least begin giving them the benefit of the doubt.

 

    “Listen, Alec,” Luke sighs and leans forward, bracing his elbows on the table, “I know you’ve meant well with these kinds of meetings and it’s been going well so far. But lately, with this whole mystery apocalypse thing going on, we’re all pretty much at each other’s throats.”

 

    Alec raises an eyebrow at the alpha. “I can see that.” He says drily. “So I’d _appreciate_ it if you all behave while you’re in _my_ Institute.”

 

    This seems to shut the alpha up.

 

    Luke sets his jaw and then leans back in his chair before making a “carry on” gesture towards him.

 

    Luke was the newly appointed alpha of a decently sized werewolf pack. When the death-spree began to occur, the first one to die was a werewolf. With his pack numbers going down rapidly, Luke has been peacefully recruiting willing members and has been so caught up trying to train them that he’s barely even had time for a decent amount of sleep (Alec duly noted the dark rings under the male’s eyes). However, Luke was a close ally, thanks to Clary, and was always onboard when it came to the meetings and the messages Alec brought with them.

 

    “Forgive me for starting a feud, _hermano_.” Rafael apologizes with a small dip of his head. “Tensions are extremely high on my end. With Camille dead because of a demon, the responsibility of Clan Leader is now on me, however, there are barely any of us left. I’m trying to relocate but it’s near impossible.”

 

    “You know you’re always welcome here, Rafael.” Isabelle reasons, voice soft. “We’d be more than willing to shelter your people.”

 

    “But the Clave—”

 

    “Screw the Clave.” Alec declares as he stands from his seat. “The Clave isn’t doing anything to help us and is just sitting back as more and more people die so if they have a problem with me sheltering some vampires, then they can kiss my ass.”

 

    An amused smile twitches on to Rafael’s face. “It’s good to see you uncap your emotions, Mr. Lightwood.” He muses. “I am humbled by your hospitality. I will speak with my clan members about the idea and will contact you when a decision is made.”

 

    “What are we going to do?” Luke baffles, holding his hands out. “We’re pretty much sitting ducks at the moment. Demons are possessing people and the ones trying to fight them are dying quicker than a chicken on a junebug!”

 

    There’s a pause where everyone silenced and gave him an odd look. He sighs, “it’s a mundane term, don’t ask, I don’t really know myself.”

 

    “Look,” Alec says, holding his hand up, “if I have to shelter all of you just to prove my point, then I will. I don’t care nor mind — but we need to work together in order to form a solid plan on what to do. We can’t afford to work alone, because if we do, more of us will die.” A muscle in his jaw tenses and he shifts forward to slowly place his palms on the table, eyes scanning the room to try to meet as many gazes as he can. “With the amount of deaths going on in such a small amount of time… I’m beginning to think something darker and powerful is behind this force — there’s no way a bunch of demons just appear out of nowhere and cause an uprising like this. At this rate… I’m fearing extinction. Not just for the Shadoworld, but for mundanes as well. The _whole world_ is at stake.”

 

    “This really does sound like an uprising.” Simon agreed as he turns to look at Rafael. “It sounds like demons are making an uprising — you remember how, _many_ centuries ago, Lucifer lead The Uprising on Heaven but got banished to Hell? And how he and his followers fell and became fallen angels?”

 

    “There’s been no sign of Lucifer for centuries.” Rafael quickly diffuses. “It was believed that he had perished some time ago in the depths of Hell.”

 

    “Well, suppose Lucifer is _actually_ alive and is _actually_ planning an uprising,” Alec says theoretically, “how the hell are we supposed to face Lucifer, the _actual devil himself_ , and his army of demons and fallen angels?”

 

    Meliorn sighs and looks away. “We’re too weak to even consider banding to fight against him. It’s too risky, too foolish. We don’t wish to take part in a war against the Devil.”

 

    “We need more allies if this is what’s truly going on.” stressed Luke as he runs a hand down his face. “Meliorn is right — we’re too weak, even joining together, to fight a Greater Demon.”

 

    Alec opens his mouth to respond but then the doors open, cutting him off. He glances up, annoyed to have the meeting interrupted, and spots Jace and Clary approaching them with hurried footsteps.

 

    “Sorry, sorry.” Clary quickly rambles when she notices the annoyed look he’s got. “I know we’re not supposed to interrupt the meetings but there’s been a murder.”

 

    “Where?” Alec demands as he stands quickly. “Who?”

 

    “We don’t know. He’s a wolf, though, I can tell.” Jace informed. He flicks his eyes over to Luke. “You can come with, if you want. Maybe you can help identify the body.”

 

    Luke quickly nods and stands up. “Of course! Glad to be of help.”

 

    “Alright, um,” Alec turns to Rafael and Meliorn before continuing, “sorry to cut the meeting short but we gotta go investigate. You’re both more than welcome to come along.”

 

    “I should really get back to the Seelie Realm.” Meliorn rejects stoically as he grabs his jacket. “I’ll confide with the Queen about the meeting and will report to you through a fire message on her input.”

 

    Alec nods at him. “Thank you for coming, Meliorn. May the Angel be with you.”

 

    The Seelie smiles a little at him, bows his head, before he takes his leave.

 

    “I’ll head back to my clan.” Rafael slips his arms through his own jacket and fixes the lapels. “See what they have to say about temporarily staying here for the meantime.”

 

    He leaves promptly with a few bows of his head towards the remaining people in the room. Alec exhales and turns towards his friends with a raise eyebrow.

 

    “Let’s get going then.” He prompts. “We got a crime scene to investigate.”

 

    When they get to the crime scene, they make sure to glamour the entire space so no mundane could see the gruesome sight. It was a werewolf, Luke had confirmed, but he wasn’t a member of his own pack. The boy appeared to be quite young, early 20s at least, and didn’t show signs of being possessed or demon ichor in his wounds.

 

    “Poor guy.” Simon laments. “Whoever killed him definitely wanted him dead — he’s like a mangled heap of flesh and limbs.”

 

    “This was an act of anger or maybe even desperation.” Isabelle comments while studying the corpse. “I agree with Simon. Whoever killed him definitely wanted him dead and made sure he’d _stay_ dead.”

 

    “But why go that kind of extent?” Clary questions. “Especially _here_?”

 

    The scene of the crime was somewhere deep in a narrow street in Chinatown, just a few miles from the Institute. The area was desolate, pretty much unpopulated and lonesome, so to find the mangled body a young werewolf just yards away from a rather plain looking shop was quite odd.

 

    Alec has been silent the whole time, simply peeking into the shop occasionally to try to get an idea of what was inside. The shop was closed, it was quite late in the night, but he had this feeling that the shop had some placement in the boy’s death.

 

    “I will contact any neighboring packs around here.” Luke compromises as he pulls out his phone. “I have an old friend here upstate so maybe she can identify him.”

 

    Turning around, Alec looks around briefly then spots his sister. “Bring the body back to the Institute. I want a full autopsy on him. Try to figure out who or what killed him. Clary, Jace,” both people stood at attention, “I want you both to research this shop.”

 

    Jace scowls in confusion. “Why? This shop looks out of place so I don’t see—”

 

    “That’s _exactly_ why I want you to research it.” Alec cuts in. He takes a few steps back from the large window and looks up to read the sign. _Iridescent Cauldron_. “This shop doesn’t seem to quite fit in here. Look around, Jace. This area is for homeless mundanes, there isn’t a shop anywhere here within a good walking-distance. You’d have to travel at least 10 minutes to even spot the tiniest market.”

 

    Jace’s scowl remains but he seems to catch Alec’s point and is studying the shop in suspicion.

 

    “This boy died near this shop for a reason.” Alec continues as he turns around to begin leaving, giving them all a pointed look, “and I want to know why.”

 

    They return to the Institute not too soon after. Clary and Jace immediately set off towards the ops center to begin researching while Isabelle guides a Shadowhunter, who is pushing the corpse on a stretcher, towards the medical ward.

 

    “I’ll go check on Rafael and see if there’s any progress with his clan.” Simon pondered after a moment. “I’ll send you a text if there is.”

 

    Alec nods in a silent goodbye, watches him go, before making way towards the medical ward so he could watch his sister begin the autopsy. Once there, he makes sure to stand out of the way. Standing in a corner with his arms across his chest as he watches his sister’s every move keenly, observing her expressions and reacts to certain bits.

 

    She concludes the autopsy after nearly 2 hours.

 

    “He’s definitely been killed by a demon.” She concludes with a huff as she tosses her bloodied gloves into the trash. “But it’s not the kind of demon we’ve been dealing with. I’m suspecting he was killed by a Greater Demon. There are hints of demon ichor in his wounds but it’s a very strong, pungent level.”

 

    “Maybe this actually _is_ an uprising.” Alec murmurs to himself. Isabelle preened on her hearing skill and manages to catch his mumble. So Alec spoke again, but a bit louder this time, “If he was killed by a Greater Demon then that means we’ve got a whole bigger mess on our hands. We’re not prepared or skilled enough to take on a Greater Demon.”

 

    “Agreed.” She sighs. “Luke was right. We need more allies if we plan on fighting this.”

 

    Alec tenses his jaw and wrings his hands a little. “I think I may have an idea, but… it’s risky. More riskier than attacking a Greater Demon.”

 

    Isabelle cocks her here to the side in confusion but before Alec could elaborate, Luke shuffles into the room.

 

    “I managed to contact the alpha upstate a little while ago.” He says. “She told me that she’s been missing a member of her pack, her nephew. She’s agreed to come down to identify the body.”

 

    “When will she arrive?” Alec inquires.

 

    Luke raises an eyebrow. “She’s already here.” He reveals, stepping aside to let a tall, sturdy looking woman step into the room slowly, along with a few others behind her. Her posture is stiff, guarded.

 

    “This is Lucy Willowbark.” Luke gestures at the woman, who bows her head in greeting, “Pack alpha. Her pack mainly resides deep in a forest in upstate New York, somewhere untouched by mundanes.”

 

    “Thank you for coming here, and welcome.” Alec greets with a small but welcoming smile. Lucy returns the smile but it’s rigid and shaky. Alec notes that she’s refusing to look anywhere near the body.

 

    “I already know it’s him.” She whispers after a moment, eyes glossy with tears. “I could smell it the second I walked into Brooklyn. His blood, his scent—it was _everywhere_.”

 

    Isabelle took careful steps and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “I’m so sorry for your loss, ma’am.”

 

    Lucy shows her a kind smile and sniffles, “His name is Joshua. Joshua Greenhemmer. He was only a boy—barely even 20 years old.”

 

    “Do you know why he was here in Brooklyn?” Alec asks, eyebrows furrowed.

 

    “...His parents died when he was a pup.” Lucy begins, disregarding his question for now. “His mother died during childbirth and his father was killed a few years later when a raid went wrong. Joshua was headstrong and was very much willing to bring a fight anywhere he went. But when he went missing, it was just when the beginning of all these disappearances and murders began. The night before he went missing, he seemed anxious and intensely worried about something. Kept talking about how he needed to go somewhere to try to find…” She pauses hesitantly, “ _someone._ That he _needed_ to find them before the darkness reached our pack. We’re a small pack and he didn’t want to lose us. He said he wanted to go somewhere, that he’ll be back in no time. But then he stopped returning our calls 2 days ago. We sent out wolves to try to track him but they couldn’t even pick up his scent until we got here... Now I know why.”

 

    “Do you know of anyone who would want to do harm to Joshua?” Luke asks gently.

 

    Lucy exhales and gives him a pained look before she lets out a watery laugh. “Joshua liked to piss people off, yes, but he made it a point to never a make an enemy.”

 

    “We found him dead yards away from a rather out of place shop in Chinatown.” Alec informs, eyes never leaving the alpha. “We suspect that he was trying to reach that shop before he was killed.”

 

    The woman pauses, lingering for a moment before turning to him, “what shop was it?”

 

    “It looked like some kind of herbal shop?” Isabelle provides vaguely. “What was it called— _Iridescent Cauldron_?”

 

    Something immediately clicks and all of the color drains from Lucy’s face. She was silent for a moment. “I think I know who he was trying to contact.”

 

    “Alec!” Clary calls out as she runs into the room, Jace right behind her. “We just finished researching the shop. It’s a front. It’s actually a shop for Warlock supplies.”

 

    “A Warlock shop?” reiterated Alec in bewilderment. “Why in the Angel’s name was he trying to get into a _warlock shop_?”

 

    “He was trying to contact someone.” Lucy told them.

 

    “Who?” Jace asks with a frown. “A warlock?”

 

    She sends him a "no duh" look and finally dares herself to take a peek at her nephew’s body. “He was...always talking about ‘em — how could he _not_? The Warlock had respectfully saved our lives and showed us to a new, safer place that we could call home.”

 

    “So… he was trying to contact the warlock that saved your pack.” Luke supplies.

 

    “Joshua kept talking about him before he left to come here.” She laments, drawing closer to place a shaking hand on the cold cheek of her deceased loved one. “Said that the only one that could stop it, end it all, was him. But the warlock, they… they don’t really step foot into the public eye and they’re not very easy to talk to or get a hold of. So… when the warlock saved us, and before they left, they gave us an ultimatum; the only way for us to contact them if we needed aid, the only way for him to actually listen to our call.”

 

    Isabelle sighs, placing her hands on her hips, then, “and lemme guess, that shop was a key to get his attention the _right_ way?”

 

    Lucy slowly nods her head. “There’s a cashier there. We were told to enter the shop, say a specific line, and the cashier will immediately send a fire message to the warlock.”

 

    “So that explains why he was trying to reach the shop.” Clary points out, waving her hand in the air as it all clicks into place. “He was trying to get to the shop so he could send a fire message and… whoever killed him _didn’t want him to._ ”

 

    “Who’s the warlock?” Luke inquires. “You gotta at least give us that.”

 

    But Lucy only tenses up and gives him a look of weariness. “No one knows their name or identity. They never gave us either of those when we were saved years ago. All I know, from observation, was that… he had the physique of a male.”

 

    “I think I know who she’s talking about.” Isabelle uttered, tilting her head to give her brother a dead look. “He resides here in Brooklyn.”

 

    Jace’s face twists into anger once he realizes who she’s hinting at. “The Prince of Hell.” He spits.

 

    Alec shot him a look of warning. “And also the High Warlock of Brooklyn.” He scolds. “Show some respect.”

 

    “It doesn’t matter who _or_ what he are, it’s too dangerous!” Clary hollered. “Alec, we can’t. The High Warlock has made it painfully obvious that they don’t like Shadowhunters.”

 

    “I’d watch your tongue as well, _Fairchild._ ” Lucy snarls. “He might be dangerous, sure, but he's saved lives countless of times. There’s a good side to him if you choose not to piss him off like the most of you lot do.”

 

    “Alec,” Isabelle heaved, closing her eyes, “as much as it aches to admit this, but if Joshua sought out the High Warlock because he was convinced that they were the only one who could help, then… maybe we should do the same.”

 

    Alec flicks his gaze to his sibling, ignoring the guffaws of disagreement from Clary and Jace. They stare at each other in silence for a couple ticking seconds before Alec breaks eye contact to meet Luke’s gaze. Luke seems wary and hesitant but with a quick glance at Lucy, who gives him a firm stare, he moves his head in a small nod.

 

    “I agree.” Alec caves after a tense moment. Jace groans and presses a palm to his forehead. “We need more allies if we plan on facing this threat, whatever it is, and Joshua was set on the idea that the High Warlock was our only hope. To honor him, I would like to continue with the same mindset.”

 

    Lucy’s shoulders sag and her guarded expression fades. She lets the tears roll down her cheeks freely now as she shows a grateful smile.

 

    “Thank you. Thank you.” She weeps before stepping forward, hugging the Shadowhunter tightly. Alec returns the hug and soothingly rubs her back. She pulls away after a moment and dries her tears, sniffling to herself as she attempts to gather herself once more.

 

    “I will happily relay the phrase to you, Mr. Lightwood—”

 

    “—Please, call me Alec.” He insists with a kind smile.

 

    “Alec.” She corrects wistfully and smiles. “The phrase is _tempus edax rerum_.”

 

    “Which is Latin for?” Luke drawls.

 

    “ _Time is the devourer of things_.” Isabelle provides with a boasting grin. Alec looks at her with an impressed smile. “Been practicing on my Latin. Practically fluent by now.”

 

    “Good job, Izzy.” Alec compliments then faces his friends with a stoic expression. “We leave for the herbal shop in 3 hours once it opens.” Clary and Jace make a noise of disagreement but with one sharp, angry look from both Alec and Lucy, they shut up. “If you wish to disobey the Head of the Institute, then, by all means, remain here and do _nothing_ while more innocent people die. I’m fully aware of the risks and the consequences we may face but if either of you idiots have any better ideas,” he takes a challenging step forward and raises his eyebrows. _“I’m listening.”_

 

    Silence.

 

    “Good. Lucy,” he turns to her, “do you wish to attend with us?”

 

    After a moment of pondering, she shakes her head. “I would like to return home and mourn properly. I also want to bury him and I’m sure the other pack members will want to be there when it happens.” She strokes Joshua’s cheek endearingly before turning to face all of them. “Remember this; _tempus edax rerum._ Go to the cashier, say the phrase, and wait. That’s all you can do is wait. If he heeds the message and chooses to respond to it, you’ll know.”

 

    Jace’s nose scrunches. “We’ll know?”

 

    She gives him a look of amusement. _“You’ll know.”_ She repeats. “In the meantime, it’d be best to be patient and not piss him off. He’s the High Warlock of Brooklyn, but a Prince of Hell, which means he practically has eyes and ears everywhere. Say something against him and the idea of meeting with him is off.” She turns to Luke. “Thank you for contacting me and sending your wolves to aid us in our arrival despite your current circumstances. If you ever need me,” she turns her attention to Alec this time, “I’ll be a proud ally to you all.”

 

* * *

 

[ mood ↺ “monsters” by ruelle ]

 

    “This is a bad idea.” Jace declares for the umpteenth time as they make the final preparation to head out. Alec rolls his eyes as he tightens the Velcro on his fingerless gloves. “How many times do I have to say this?”

 

    “Keep talking and maybe someday you’ll say something intelligent.” Isabelle jabs flatly as she ties her hair up into a ponytail. Jace gaps at her. Alec grins to himself and fixes the strap of his quiver on his shoulder before glamouring it completely, along with his bow.

 

    “Jace, come on,” Clary gives him a pained look, “we have to give this a shot, okay? I don’t like it as much as you do, trust me, but maybe this actually our only shot to solve whatever is going on. Maybe the High Warlock has the answers we’re looking for.”

 

    Jace rolls his eyes as he exhales through his nose, jaw tightening. “Fine…”

 

    “Let’s go.” Alec orders. “Clary.”

 

    At the hint, Clary steps forward and opens a portal with the help of her steele. She pockets it and shares glances with everyone before heading in first. Everyone else follows suit and soon, the portal closes behind her.

 

    “Remember. Go in, say the phrase, and—” Alec debriefs only to cut himself off at the sight of the shop completely _destroyed_. He quickly un-glamours his weapons and holds his bow high as they dash into the ruins.

 

    The door was barely hanging on to its hinges. Glass was everywhere. The entire place was trashed; broken vials, books torn apart and scattered across the floor, pots of various kinds of plants smashed.

 

    Of all the things littering the ground they walked on, a certain item sitting in the rubble caught Alec’s attention.

 

    A simple but elegantly crafted pendant with a blood red ruby in the middle of it. He picks it up off of the ground and runs his thumb across the jewel, intrigued by it, and feels his fingers brushed against something that felt like an engraving on the back. When he turns it over, there’s a single word carved there. _Amor._

 

    “Alec!” At the shout, he turns and quickly pockets the pendant. He spots all 3 of them huddled around a body and quickly jogs over to them. It was the cashier. She was battered, badly, and had her throat slashed.

 

    “She’s alive. But barely. We’re losing her.” Isabelle informs, hands pressed against the slash mark in hopes to halt the bleeding. The cashier is conscious, eyes wide and fearful, as she makes quiet gurgling and gagging sounds; she was choking and unable to breathe.

 

    “Who did this to you?” Alec bents down with a tight expression. “Who did this?”

 

    The cashier attempts to speak but all that comes out a small sputter of blood. Isabelle frowns over at her brother, but the cashier is persistent on speaking, so she continues trying until, finally—

 

    “As...mode...us.” She chokes out.

 

    Jace scowls. “Asmodeus? You’re kidding right?”

 

    The cashier — Alec duly notices her name tag, _Ashley_ — lifts her trembling hands to carefully shove something into Alec’s chest. Confused, he looks down at the items she’s trying to give him. A multi-colored scarf and a dagger that was curved like a slithering snake gliding across the ground.

 

    “We came here to send a fire message to the High Warlock.” Clary rushes out as she notices that the cashier is beginning to slip. _“Tempus edax rerum.”_

 

    The cashier regards her with a weak glance before making a winded, choked noise. She lifts her hand and, with the last amount of energy she had, she begins to weakly write the fire message out of thin air. Once she finishes tracing the last letter, her hand bonelessly drops to the ground. The sounds she was making cease and the light reflecting her eyes dim.

 

    “...She’s gone.” Isabelle forlorns quietly, slowly taking her hands away from the girl’s throat, a look of remorse and sorrow on her face. “She’s gone.”

 

* * *

 

    Lucy had told them to be patient after sending the fire message. The High Warlock would get it immediately, but seeing as he’s a rather busy man, they all knew it’d take a bit of time. Not to mention the warlock must’ve known by now who had spoken the phrase. Like Lucy had claimed, he has eyes and ears everywhere.

 

    The items Ashley had shoved into Alec’s chest both frustrated and fascinated him beyond belief. A simple scarf and a dagger? What could the meanings of them be? She seemed adamant that he’d take the items as if they were something sacred, something important. But no matter how long he spent trying to dig through the database, he found no link or information about the items. So, in the end, he had carefully wrapped the dagger in the scarf and put it in his quiver for keepsake; wanting the items on him just in case they did serve some sort of purpose.

 

    Then came the pendant. He didn’t know why he took it, he just felt… drawn to it. Compelled to pick it up off of the dirty ground, dust it off, and hold it close. Alec still kept his guard up, don’t get him wrong — it’s obvious this pendant was no ordinary piece of jewelry. It seemed to have some sort of magic in it.

 

    Alec eventually caves in at the 5th hour mark and decided to look up any information on the High Warlock. He wasn’t surprised that he found very, very little information.

 

> _Name: Unknown_
> 
> _Age: Estimated between 1000-2000 years old_
> 
> _Birthplace: Unknown_
> 
> _Gender: Rumored to be a male_
> 
> _Family: Son of Asmodeus_
> 
> _Appearance: About 5 foot 8, well-built_
> 
> _Species: Warlock, Prince of Hell_
> 
> _Current Status: High Warlock of Brooklyn for 951 years_
> 
> _Warlock mark: Cat eyes_
> 
> _Other: Said to be one of the first original 10 Warlocks to be introduced into the Shadoworld. Immensely powerful and skilled. Short fuse. Highly dangerous. If encountered, tread lightly._

 

    “Cat eyes.” Alec mutters under his breath, his index-finger gently stroking his chin. “Interesting…”

 

    Alec has only met a few warlock in his life as a Shadowhunter. Some were friendly, some were not (he can’t help but scowl at the memory of Iris Rouse) but each one had a different warlock mark. He saw one with a set of razor sharp wendigo teeth, another literally had a tail that had a poisonous tip to it. An added limb, a third eye, horns — in short, Alec has seen _many things_ but never has he once seen cat eyes.

 

    He did hear that cat eyes are the rarest of Warlock marks to exist.

 

    And he can’t help but wonder just how long the High Warlock has been around.

 

    By the time he’s finished researching, he heard the grandfather clock ding loudly on the opposite side of his office. Alec takes a bleary glance at it and notes the time with a yawn. 12:31am. Time to call it a night. Everyone else must be sleeping by now.

 

    He logs out of the tablet and turns it off, setting it down on to his desk. When he leaves, he makes sure all lights are off and the door is locked as he shuts it behind him. Stillness fell upon his office. The only sound resonating throughout the room was the lulling sound of the grandfather clock ticking.

 

    But then, suddenly, the drapes to one of the windows began moving. The window was still closed but the drapes acted as if they weren’t; flailing about in the air wildly before, just as suddenly, stopping and slowly drifting back down into place. There’s another moment of stillness before Alec’s computer starts up randomly. The screen immediately showed the locked screen, requiring a password to continue forth. With no password entered, a message pops up on the screen in large green letters “ACCESS GRANTED” followed by “Welcome, Mr. Lightwood” in smaller letters.

 

    Whoever, or whatever, was behind this force controlled the computer.

 

    The database icon opened up and it led to the default page; a simple search engine. The sound of the keyboards tapping followed and a name appeared into the search bar before the computer began searching; threading through each of the hundreds of files it has stored away. It takes a moment before it locks onto a folder. Instantly, the image of a young girl of color appeared on to the screen.

 

> _Name: Madzie_
> 
> _Age: Estimated to be 9 or 10 years old_
> 
> _Birthplace: Brooklyn_
> 
> _Gender: Female_
> 
> _Family: Unknown_
> 
> _Appearance: Medium length black hair, normally worn in one or two braids, about 4 foot 6 inches_
> 
> _Current Status: N/A_
> 
> _Warlock mark: Gills on the side of her neck_
> 
> _Other: Due to not being able to control the power of her warlock mark, Madzie covers her gills with a scarf. Once the scarf is removed, it sucks up all of the oxygen in the air and causes whomever around her to suffocate._

 

    The scarf shown around Madzie’s neck in the photo was the same one Alec had gingerly wrapped around the dagger.

 

    Suddenly, and rather violently, the printer that was placed off to the side, turned on and began spitting out several copies of Madzie’s photo.

 

* * *

 

    “Who the hell got into my office last night?!” Alec bellowed in anger, hand gesturing to the still-on computer displaying Madzie’s profile. “And will someone _care to explain_ why this file was pulled up and why, in the hell, was Madzie’s photo printed 157 times?!”

 

    “Alec,” Clary spoke carefully, “we checked the security cameras 15 times. We investigated closer to see if there was any tampering but there wasn’t. The only one who was in our office was you — the camera only showed you leaving and no one entering."

 

    Sighing deeply, he pinched the bridge of his nose. “A computer doesn’t just turn on, Clary, and a printer doesn’t spew out over a hundred copies of a photo—”

 

    “Wait, Alec, look!” Simon exclaims as he dashes over to him. “The photo!”

 

    “Yes, I’ve seen it already — what part of the photo being printed over a hundred times do you not seem to get?”

 

    “No, you idiot, _look_.” Simon reaches and pushes Alec’s cheek with his fingertip, making his head turn. Alec’s eyes fall on to his computer screen and he immediately notices the scarf around Madzie’s neck. With a small gasp, Alec un-glamours his bow and quiver so he could pull the wrapped dagger out.

 

    “Well,” Isabelle considers the scarf with a perk of an eyebrow, “we know that this scarf belongs to someone. But the question is… where is she?”

 

    “Do you think this was,” Luke gestures to all around them; the trashed office, the copies of Madzie’s photo all over the place, then looks at Alec to continue “was some kind of warning or something?”

 

    “Looks like someone was definitely trying to convey some kind of message, yeah.” Alec observes with quick glance around his office.

 

    “Sorry to interrupt.” A voice joins in and all heads turn. Alec stiffens at the sight of Underhill hesitantly walking into the room. He squares his shoulders and his usually sharp stoic expression hardens into a threatening glare as he stares the other Shadowhunter down.

 

    “But there’s been another murder.” Underhill explains quietly. “Report is it’s not by a demon, but a werewolf.”

 

    At this, everyone, except for Alec, glances over at Luke, who is uneasy and confused.

 

    “This oughta be interesting.” Jace snorts as he moves past Underhill to leave the room, ready to head out to the crime-scene. Clary and Luke share a look before they follow suit, then Isabelle. Alec stayed rooted in his place, simply glaring Underhill down before he moves to shut off his computer.

 

    “Ale—”

 

    Alec holds a hand up and the gesture alone makes Underhill clamp his mouth shut. “If you even speak my full name, I will shove my arrow so far up your—”

 

    Underhill sighs, unable to stop himself from rolling his eyes. “Are you still mad at me? C’mon, it was 7 months ago.”

 

    Turning his head to slowly to show Underhill a menacing look. “Doesn’t matter how long ago it was, it _happened_.”

 

    “Can’t we just move on from it?”

 

    Silence followed for a moment before Alec growls, stalking forward to shove at Underhill’s chest, and he snarls out “ _you_ cheated on _me_! You expect me to pretend I didn’t walk in on you banging one of the newest, and _youngest_ might I just note, Shadowhunters we have here?! Are you really that dumb?!”

 

    “It’s not even a big deal, Alec—”

 

    “Cheating is a big deal!” Alec shouts, not caring about how loud he was being. “Cheating is _very much a big deal_ and you have to be one heartless son of a bitch to cheat on someone who gave you _everything_ then turn around and act like it shouldn’t’ve been a 'big deal'!”

 

    Underhill remains silent, expression unreadable as he stares between Alec’s eyes. Taking a deep breath, Alec closed his eyes briefly to gather himself and keep his emotions in check.

 

    “You’re dismissed.”

 

    “What?” Underhill gaps. “Alec, you can’t just exclude me from missions like that—”

 

    “I am the _Head of the Institute._ ” Alec hisses through gritted teeth. “You’re _dismissed._ Don’t make me repeat myself.”

 

    Underhill grits his teeth bitterly and he looks like he wants to say something but seems to go against it, and finally turns to leave the room after a brief yet extremely tense stare-off. The door closes behind him with finality and Alec refuses to flinch at the slam. However, once the door does close, Alec does let himself relieve the tension in his shoulders. He places his palms on his desk, hangs his head, and lets out a shaky breath.

 

    Underhill was his ex of about 2 years. He was there for him when Alec began to question everything — the Clave, his own parents, and the message the Institute stood for — when Clary had arrived. He was there for him when Valentine laid chaos upon Brooklyn and nearly executed the entirety of the Downworlders. However, just when they had found out about Lilith and the identity of The Owl, that is when Underhill decides to let Alec know he’s been cheating on him.

 

    For 4 fucking months.

 

    With some girl that they had just welcomed into the Institute, someone who is barely trained and too eager to go out and kill demons, someone is barely even 21 at the least.

 

    It’s been months since the news broke out. Originally, Alec wanted it kept on the down low, not wanting the entire Institute to know about his dirty laundry, but they had found out anyways — Simon could never really keep a secret and Isabelle loved to gossip, not to mention she had confronted the girl, her name was Meredith Alec later found out, and nearly _decapitated her_ with her whip when Meredith began talking crap about Alec and his “unstable personality.” So the news about Underhill cheating on someone as inspiring and strong as the Alec Lightwood — needless to say, it got out rather quickly and the reactions to it were not pretty. Thankfully, no one talked to him about it but he could tell they knew simply by the gentle looks they’d give him whenever he’d walk into the room; looks of pity.

 

    He didn’t want pity. Yeah, Underhill hurt him and it stung for a while, still kind of does, but that doesn’t mean Alec let it get to him completely. They had been fighting for a while and the threat of a break-up was coming closer week by week so Alec was fully prepared for them to end at any given time. Just not by that.

 

    In short, due to their fights and Underhill’s increasing agitation and over-protectiveness (which is ironic and hypocritical because of the outcome), Alec was beginning to fall out-of-love with the man anyways. He had a duty, not just as the Head but as a Shadowhunter, and Underhill barely would let him even leave the Institute because he thought there was something going on with him and Jace.

 

    Despite Alec’s crush for Jace _getting_ crushed by Clary 2 years ago.

 

    Despite Alec’s crush for him disappearing over time and getting replaced with, what he _thought was_ , love for Underhill.

 

    Despite Jace being obviously and disgustingly _whipped_ for Clary.

 

    Hell, the girl has a fucking _diamond ring on her finger_ now since Jace finally stepped up his game and popped the question and Underhill _still thought_ there was something between Jace and Alec other than the brotherly-parabatai bond they share?

 

    Ridiculous. Absolutely fucking ridiculous — if Alec had his way with the Clave right now, and if he even had enough power to do this, he’d strip the man of his runes and exile him solely out of pettiness.

 

    Hell, if he wasn’t going to do it, then by the Angel, his own mother would.

 

    His mother, who had been nearly scared to death when she found out that she might be exiled and stripped of her own runes, now stands by his side unexiled and still runed as a mother, as a Shadowhunter, and as his _new_ Head of Security.

 

    Because _fuck you_ Underhill, that’s why.

 

    A knock on the door finally snapped Alec out of his thoughts and he glances up, spotting his mother and sister in his doorway looking angry but worried more than anything.

 

    “We kinda need you out there right now.” Isabelle says quietly, gesturing to the direction behind her. That’s when he realizes there’s some yelling and quickly straightens himself, wiping away his tears — he didn’t even realize he’d been crying.

 

    “Jace kinda launched at him a second ago.”

 

    Alec half snorts half laughs. “Of course he did.”

 

    By the time Alec leaves the room for the ops center, Jace has Underhill in a _choke hold_. Meredith is beating Jace’s back with her tiny little fists, not that it’s doing any damage whatsoever, and yelling at him to stop.

 

    “You do know your _feeble_ fists are tickling my back, right?” Jace taunts, biceps bulging as he tightens his hold around Underhill’s neck. “But keep going — I have an itch and you’re quite close to it. Just _a little_ higher.”

 

    “Jace.” Alec calls out and his parabatai immediately lets go of Underhill, not without looking immensely smug and satisfied. Alec feels a little smirk twitching at his own lips. “That’s enough.”

 

    Jace chuckles and mutters something bitter underneath his breath and Alec manages to catch it — _“he’s lucky I didn’t castrate him”_ — before moving away from Underhill and Meredith, who was still attempting to get Jace to even flinch at her hits.

 

    “Meredith.” Alec calls out once again, this time more sternly. She huffs and whips her head around to face him, wild with fury. “Keep acting out like this and I’ll be forced to send you to the Clave.”

 

    “But he was—” She points an accusing finger at Jace, “he was beating my—”

 

    “I don’t care _what_ he is to you, Meredith.” Alec grits out, his eyes hardening. “This is not the point at hand — did you not think I’d figure out about you assaulting Clary, _unprovoked_ , in the training room last week?”

 

    Meredith silences and looks away, tensing her jaw. From the corner of his eye, he sees Clary bristle a little and gently touch her ribs. Jace was at her side immediately.

 

    Clary is a very skilled fighter thanks to Jace’s training sessions but Meredith had taken her by surprise when her back was turned and nearly broke 3 of her ribs with a way too forceful kick that she had amped up with her stamina rune. Clary had fought back immediately and royally slammed her into the rack of weapons.

 

    Alec takes a few steps forward, keeping his movements slow but menacing. “One more slip up, one more time of you _acting up_ , I will personally handcuff you and send you to the Clave myself.” He promises then stops walking once he’s in front of her then says, "You’re dismissed.” He grits out. Meredith glares at him before huffing then storming off. Alec sneaks a glance down at Underhill, who has a bloody lip and a newly adorned black eye.

 

    This time, he does smirk.

 

    “Oh, and since you’ve _already_ been dismissed,” he says while Underhill stands up, “how about you tidy up my office?”

 

    Underhill looked a little offended by this before he lets out a defeated sigh. He fixes his clothes, sends Jace a warning stare, then pushed past everyone. A little more satisfied than he should be, Alec turns to his friends and makes sure to give Jace a look, to which Jace replies with a half-hearted shrug.

 

    “Alright, let’s get going.” Alec turns to his mother and asks, “watch the Institute while I’m gone? We’ll notify you of any findings.”

 

    Maryse nods before looking over at Luke so she could softly begin murmuring sweet things to him, since he’ll be going with them. Someone appears behind them and Alec notices Rafael and Simon walking into the Institute. They both spot him and quickly approach him.

 

    “I’ve spoken to my clan,” Rafael starts once he reaches Alec, “and they’ve agreed to come here in the meantime and are very thankful for your act of kindness, Alec.”

 

    “It’s the least I can do after the mess Heidi has caused.” Alec reassures, placing a hand on the vampire’s shoulder. “Your clan has suffered enough, Rafael.”

 

    Rafael reaches to gently grab Alec’s elbow, a soft smile on his lips. “I’m still surprised you consider me a friend despite Heidi being a result of my doing.” He says this more towards Simon than he does Alec. “Your sister should’ve taken me to the Clave, like she was assigned to do.”

 

    “While your actions were wrong and you did break the Accords,” Isabelle cuts in, “you’re still an innocent man that made a mistake in a moment of weakness. Besides,” she leans in with a cheeky smile then continues, “the Clave doesn’t need to know about _everything_.”

 

    “Where are you guys heading off to?” Simon ponders once he notices Isabelle in full-gear. “Another murder?”

 

    She glances at him and nods solemnly. “We got notified that someone was possibly killed by a werewolf. Luke is coming along to investigate while also get word from his pack members to see if anyone went rogue or got possessed.”

 

    “Can I come?” Simon glances at Alec, eager to join and help. “I mean, I know I no longer have the Mark of Cane dabbed on my forehead but I think I’d be of some use in case a demon tries to sneak up on us.”

 

    Alec raises an eyebrow. “Are you sure you only want to come to help out or because Isabelle is going?”

 

    At the teasing remark, Simon clamps his mouth shut and despite being a dead vampire, he could feel his cheeks color. Isabelle laughs and smacks Alec’s shoulder.

 

    “Alec, stop picking on him!” She giggles. “I know you’re trying to to play the ‘big brother role’ but me and Simon have only been dating for a few weeks now and you’ve known him long enough that he doesn’t cause a mess.”

 

    Alec raises his eyebrows at her with a _are you sure about that?_ look and she considers the silent debate.

 

    “Okay, well, _too much_ of a mess.”

 

    “Izzy!” Simon exclaims.

 

    “Oh, he can come.” Jace grins. “Besides, it’ll be more time for me to interrogate him.”

 

    Simon guffaws, throwing his hands up in the air. “That’s it! I changed my mind! Forget about me asking! I’ll just stay here and—”

 

    “Too late.” Alec chuckles, slipping a firm arm around Simon’s shoulder to practically drag him towards the portal Clary had opened. “You asked, you’re going, _suck it up_.”

 

    Simon makes a weak whimper sound and gulps, wide-eyed as he allows himself to lowkey get manhandled through the portal. Isabelle rolls her eyes fondly and gives her mother a glance, who is standing there smiling, before following after them. Jace grins more to himself and fixes his vest then enters the portal, followed by Luke and then Clary.

 

    “Well, damn.” Jace huffs once they take in the sight in front of them. “This was one hell of a murder.” Alec grimaces a little at the sheer amount of blood splattering along the walls and floors — a few droplets even landed on the ceiling.

 

    If a werewolf really did kill this person, they did it violently.

 

    “Mundane or no?” Alec inquires when Isabelle rushes over to the victim for further inspection. She lifts her head and shakes it.

 

    “It’s another werewolf.” She provides before returning to inspect the body. “And from the looks of it...a new one.”

 

    “Do you recognize him?” Simon asks Luke, who was standing behind Isabelle with his phone to ear. He glances over at Simon, shakes his head, and begins to greet whoever he was speaking to one the phone.

 

    “Alright, so, another werewolf we can’t identify.” Jace grumbles. “First Joshua, now this guy.”

 

    Clary turns to Alec, eyebrows furrowed, queried, “do you think he’s from Lucy’s pack?”

 

    “No, he’s definitely not.” Luke answered, tilting his phone away from his ear. “When she arrived, the first question I asked her if she had any new additions to the pack. She said no.”

 

    “Izzy, look for a wallet or something.” Alec suggests as he bends down beside her, rolling his sleeves up to his elbows. “Maybe he’s got an ID on him.”

 

    Her eyes lit up a little and she nods quickly, hands immediately patting at the man’s pockets. While she does this, Alec’s eyes wander around the victim’s body. He notices 3 rather large claw-marks across his chest and looks a little closer.

 

    “Demon ichor.” Alec notes aloud. “The werewolf that attacked him was possessed.”

 

    Luke hangs up his phone and then turns to Alec to inform him, “All my pack members were accounted for. Yesterday was the first moon of the month so we all stayed in Jade Wolf to keep an eye on the newbies. I was there too—no one got in and no one got out.”

 

    “We have had a few rogue werewolves that found themselves here before.” Clary realizes.

 

    Alec considers her words for a moment before nodding. “That’s true. They pop up here and there, looking for new packs or maybe even just moving in here.”

 

    “Found an ID!” Isabelle cheers as she yanks out the ID card from a light tan leather wallet then hands it to Alec. “He’s about 24 years old, born and raised in Idaho. I also found a temporary ID paper folded in his pocket — he just moved here about 2 weeks ago and recently signed up for a New York State ID.”

 

    “Well, that answers that question.” Jace remarks, peeking over Alec’s shoulder so he could look at the ID. “Name is Christopher Walden.”

 

    “Should we leave this to police or bring the body in for an official autopsy?” Simon wondered, eyes darting between Luke and Isabelle. Luke glances at her, eyebrows raised in question.

 

    Isabelle shakes her head and stands up. “I swabbed at his wounds with a few cotton-swabs. With some luck, we can figure out who killed him with the DNA on 'em.”

 

    “Guys.” All heads turn when they hear Alec’s voice call out. “...Found a blood trail.”

 

    Moving to Alec’s side, they all notice that he was indeed standing in front of the start of a blood trail. They follow the trail with their eyes until the trail seems to disappear into the broken entryway of an old warehouse. Alec lifts his foot to dab it against a droplet of blood and notices it smears against the pavement.

 

_It’s fresh._

 

[ mood ↺ “cruel world” by sam tinnesz ]

 

    With a glance at the others beside him, they un-glamour their weapons and Isabelle undoes her whip from around her wrist. He reaches behind him to grab his bow and an arrow as he un-glamours his own weapons.

 

    “Keep both eyes open.” He advises quietly as they advance towards the warehouse. “Demon might still be up and about.”

 

    Luke pressed a palm to the barely-hanging on door and it creaks open loudly, making them all grimace. He gives Alec a “there goes that” glance before walking inside. The inside of the warehouse is abandoned and, judging by the layers of dust on every surface around them with the additions of cobwebs and occasional rat (Isabelle _swears_ she didn’t squeak and cling to Simon on her life), the building has been abandoned for quite some time. It looked like it was an old cotton-mill.

 

    Still following the trail of blood, they find themselves advancing up a flight of rickety stairs to the second floor that was filled with severely outdated and rusty machinery. The trail abruptly stops in the middle of the floor and they’re left confused for a second before Simon notices something; a body off to the side, slumped against the wall.

 

    “Guess we found our killer.” He announced, pointing to the body when they all look at him. “But someone found him first.”

 

    Isabelle breaks away from the group to inspect the wounds and lightly frowns. “I don’t see any demon ichor.” She says, turning her head to look back at them. “He wasn’t killed by a demon but he definitely was possessed by one when he was killed. The wounds seem to be caused by some kind of sword or dagger maybe.”

 

    “Someone managed to _kill_ one of those damn things?!” Luke exclaims and rushes over to her. “I don’t know whether I should feel amazed or threatened — we’ve barely gotten close to even showing up to prevent a murder let alone kill the demon possessing the killer!”

 

    “We might have another enemy on our hands.” rasped Jace as he gripped his sword even tighter, eyes darting around. Before Alec could reply, they were all startled with a yelp. They whip around to see that Clary had gotten her legs knocked out from underneath her and she slammed, hard, into the ground.

 

    “Demon!” Luke yells as he grabs his gun. Alec stands up but then suddenly feels something vibrating, almost burning in his pocket. He hisses quietly and quickly digs the object out and is stunned to see that the pendant was not only vibrating a little but _glowing_ ; pulsing with a blood red hue. Alec glances up at the sound of a high-pitched shrill then back at the pendant. It was pulsing faster as the demon moved closer.

 

    “It must be some kind of indicator.” He mutters to himself. Another yell rings out and this time Jace is the one to be knocked into a large machinery. Alec quickly puts the necklace on and readies his arrow. His eyes keenly follow the rapidly moving demon before predicting its next move, aiming ahead, and firing the arrow. The timing and release was perfect however, the demon flicked his arrow away with a simple smack. Alec frowns, lowering his bow a little. He watches the demon knock down Simon then Luke and now he’s the only one left standing. Alec notices the demon is too busy focusing on Clary, who is clambering up on her feet with dual swords at the ready. Alec takes his chance.

 

    With the demon now distracted, Alec aims another arrow and then lets it fly. It’s a solid hit. The demon shrills, louder than before, and Alec swiftly moves to cover his ear. The demon whirls around to angrily face at Alec then lets out a war cry.

 

    “Good job, Alec,” He mutters to himself, “you managed to piss it off.”

 

    The next thing Alec knows is that he’s face-to-face with the demon and it’s swinging it horrifyingly long claws at him. He dodges left to right, ducking and leaning back. The demon is fast but so is Alec. He sneakily grabs another arrow from his quiver as he does a backwards roll and jams it into the demon’s leg. It screeches in agony and swats at Alec once more, but he dodges — rolling off to the side. However, Alec has .01 seconds to react before he’s getting tackled to the ground. The impact of the cement floor meeting his back making the oxygen leave his lungs, making him cough. The demon then draws a hand back to do its final blow and Alec panics briefly before, suddenly, the demon goes rigid. Completely still. Frowning in confusion, Alec doesn’t move, not wanting to take a chance, and simply inspects the demon before realizing — it got hit from behind.

 

    There was a small sound of something twisting and then the demon shrieks before dissipating into ash. Alec blinks rapidly and scrambles into a sitting position, bow in his grip when he notices who killed the demon.

 

    Definitely not someone he knew.

 

    It was a woman. A woman of color with long black hair in dreads that were pulled back into a warrior’s ponytail. She had sharp features and a rather intimidating stare.

 

    But that wasn’t all that made Alec jump for his bow. It was the _armor_ she wore.

 

    It definitely wasn’t the type of armor Alec was expecting — maybe something with more metal or maybe even something medieval, like how he’d see in mundane books ( _yes_ he read, and yes they weren’t _just_ poetry books, Izzy). It seemed more of a natural kind of armor with a pearl white long sleeve shirt, matches wrist garments that Alec, no doubt, knew had some hidden blades in it, and layers upon layers on her hips. A shoulder armor plate with the strap hidden underneath a thin, wool scarf. She had a quiver on her back along with a bow. Around her waist was a belted sheath for the weapon she had in her hand, a blade that oddly resembled the Seraph weapon Shadowhunters occasionally use. Judging by the gems embroidered on the base cloth she had around her waist, and purely on the designs all together, gave off a Warlock vibe.

 

[ a/n: for an actual reference to her armor, [click here](https://i.imgur.com/UZdDKCJ.jpg) ]

 

    Twirling the blade around in her hand, she exhales quietly and sheathes her weapon while keeping her eyes locked on Alec. Silently and slowly, she extended a hand to him.

 

    A peace offering.

 

    Still a bit guarded, Alec accepted the hand and with a pull so mighty, Alec gasped as he stumbled on his feet.

 

    “Not to come off as ungrateful for saving his ass, but,” Jace breaks the silence, “uh, who exactly are _you_?”

 

    “I am a Warlock, Nephilim.” She replies back before, finally, breaking the staring contest she had with Alec. She instead shifts to observe every face in the room head to toe.

 

    “Well, thank you.” Clary speaks up, keeping her tone friendly and open. The woman’s eyes glance to her. “My name is—”

 

    “I know who you are, Clary Fairchild.” The woman interjects with an eyebrow raise. “There are eyes and ears everywhere.”

 

    At this indirect hint, Clary glances over at Jace and Alec with something akin to hope in her eyes. Alec meets her gaze before lifting a careful hand. A signal for everyone to stand down. They slowly lower their weapons and sheath them.

 

    “With all do respect,” Alec began, “may I ask for your name and why you’ve come?”

 

    The woman’s eyes dart over to Jace and she scrunches her nose a little at him. “My name is Catarina Loss."  She introduces, flicking her gaze to Alec in a sideways glance. “I am the High Warlock’s top Warlock-Knight.”

 

    “That explains a lot.” Simon breathes. At Catarina’s questioning glance, he gestures to all of her wildly. “You’re a _badass_.”

 

    She lightly smirks at him, eyes filling with amusement. “Originally, I was here to vanquish the demons lurking around this area. I just finished killing that one,” she gestured to the body slumped against the wall, “when the one I was attacking fled into this building.”

 

    “So I take it us meeting was just a… coincidence?” Luke hesitates.

 

    However, Catarina shakes her held and folds her arms across her chest. “It is not. The High Warlock predicted you’d be here and assigned me to meet you here.” She states.

 

    Alec’s lips part in subtle surprise. “Does that mean,” he says slowly, “that he got our message?”

 

    “He got your message.” She confirms with a small nod.

 

    “And?” Jace drawls, making a _get on with it_ hand gesture.

 

    Catarina gives him a pointed look. “Watch your attitude, _Nephilim_ , or else you’ll end up just like those demons.” She warns in a hiss.

 

    “Jace.” Alec scolds. His parabatai exhales deeply and folds his arms across his chest. He doesn’t say anything else.

 

    “The High Warlock has received your fire message, Shadowhunters.” Catarina continues after a moment of staring Jace down. She then makes eye contact with Alec. “He’s heard your call...and has agreed to meet with you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I knooooow that I shouldn't be making a new story while still working on another but I have just high muse for this story that it's literally hindering me from continuing More Than Words. Sorry.
> 
> If you're here from More Than Words, welcome! I'm glad you all gave this story a shot!
> 
> If you're not from my other Malec story, then welcome! I appreciate you all, regardless, for coming here and reading my work :) I hope you all enjoy and I hope you look further to future episodes!
> 
> Note: I will be putting up little "moods" things in chapters with recommended songs based off of the mood in certain areas in a chapter. I do recommend you listen to the such while reading to that specific part. You don't need to, it's more of a suggestion, but I just thought it'd be a nice touch. Let me know what you guys think of that!


	2. where worlds collide (so it begins)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Where worlds collide  
> Blood divides  
> When darkness falls  
> Fate calls  
> This winter breath  
> Taste of death  
> Where iron meets flesh  
> We'll take it all"

    Apparently when Catarina revealed that the High Warlock had agreed to met them, the meeting was set to happen this very second. Allowing the Shadowhunters to speak amongst themselves for a moment to collect their bearings — however it was mainly on Alec’s behalf so he could remind Jace to behave so that they don’t need to worry about the hopes of an alliance going straight out the window. Jace begrudgingly agreed but Alec was smart enough to not believe him.

 

    Catarina opens a portal with barely even a flick of her wrist when they’re ready to leave. She glances back at them with eyebrows risen in a hidden question as she gestures to the portal. Alec exchanges look with everyone before giving a nod. Simon is the first one to go through the portal. Then Isabelle, followed by Clary and Jace. Alec is the last to enter the vortex, at least from his group. Once he steps through the opposite side, he’s… surprised, to say.

 

    “A...forest?” Jace drawls warily, face scrunched up.

 

    “You ignorant fool.” Catarina snorts as he walks past him. “This is no ordinary forest.”

 

    She steps forward to stand by Alec, who is in awe at the beautiful trees that surrounded them, before she begins to explain, “The High Warlock has immense power. The apartment building he owns is merely a front, a glamour. The glamour holds up to protect this land.”

 

    “And what land exactly is this?” Simon asks curiously as they walk through the only obvious trail. “Are we even still in Brooklyn? I don’t recall a forest as dense as this here in New York City.”

 

    “Oh, we’re still in Brooklyn, no worries” Catarina hums as she guides them through the path. “You see this forest right here is The _Forest of Infernum \_. It’s said that this place was the original birthplace of the first Warlocks. Amongst them,” she pauses his speech to turn his head and glance at the group of Shadowhunters with a small smirk, “was Your Highness. The High Warlock. He’s now claimed this land as his Kingdom Grounds. Suitable for him, don’t you think?”

 

    Clary lets out a sound between a chuckle and a horrified whimper. “Suitable and _terrifying_. This place alone holds great power and symbolism. The High Warlock must hold a tremendous power.”

 

    The warlock grins at her and turns to look ahead. “More than you could ever comprehend, Fairchild.”

 

    They continue walking in tense silence from then on. Catarina guides them on the same path — a path that didn’t quite seem to lead anywhere except for even further into the dense forest. Alec began to question the motives the two ahead of them carry, and judging by the looks Jace and Isabelle shared with him, they felt the same way.

 

    “Here we are.” Catarina chimes as they approach two guards. Alec duly notes that the guards were dressed in medieval period armor and the difference between their armor and Catarina’s. Both of them were carrying large spears as tall at they were in both hands, identical in craftsmanship.

 

While the guards seemed more prepared for battle, perhaps, Catarina was prepared for war.

 

    “Is it just me or,” Isabelle leans to whisper to her brother as she hesitantly looks around, “does this forest seem...alive?”

 

    Alec levels her with a raise eyebrow. “Alive as the wildfires of _Infernum_ should be.”

 

    “There is nothing here but an open field.” Jace deadpans. “I highly doubt that ‘we’re here.’”

 

    Catarina rolls her eyes as she approaches the guards. She begins speaking quietly to them in a language none of them recognize. Their conversation is brief and short before the guards nod at her then move aside. Both guards pound the ends of their spears to the ground and it sends a pulse that shoots out around them. When the pulse ends, a large, red Torii gate stood tall and proud behind them. It didn’t appear to be withered or aged, no rust or mold in sight. Just vines wrapped delicately around its pillars.

 

    An entrance.

 

    Catarina glances back at them with a raised eyebrow before walking underneath the gate — where she promptly _disappears_. Another glamour, Alec realizes as he moves to follow suit without a beat of hesitation. The other seem to linger in apprehension then tread forward.

 

    If Alec thought the forest behind them was beautiful, then he wasn’t prepared for the garden they just step foot into.

 

    His eyebrows shot up as they’re guided a brief path outlined by beautiful cherry trees that appeared to have just finished blooming. Then there’s a narrow stone path with flowers planted on both sides of it — hues of yellow, whites, purples, pinks, and blues. There were even a few rose bushes dotted along the lawn here and there. There’s a young cherry blossom tree to the left with bushes of orchids and roses. Then red maple tree to the right sitting in a small island in the middle of the pond. A small stone fountain placed at the outline of the pond with the gentle, quiet, flow of water. The path leads up to a small bridge and another, yet more intricate, red Torii gate. And over the horizon of the fence at the far side of the garden stood a towering pagoda surrounded by many, many trees.

 

    “Oh wow.” Isabelle marvels, extending a hand to delicately touch one of the rose bushes. “This is such a beautiful garden.”

 

    “Your Highness planted everything in here” Catarina adds. “Without magic, of course.”

 

    Jace gave her a questionable look.

 

    “What?” Catarina spits out. “Do you honestly think that’s all there is to a warlock? Magic?”

 

    “I don’t know. Maybe.” Jace chides in response.

 

    Catarina scowls angrily at him before tightening her shoulders. _“Es stultior asino.”_ She hisses out in disgust. Isabelle nearly chokes on her own laughter while Jace looks dumbfounded.

 

    “Why are you laughing? The hell did she say?”

 

    “Catarina, _mi amor_!” A sudden voice calls out. Another figure is quickly approaching, wearing the same kind of armor Catarina is, and quickly embraces Catarina in a tender embrace. He was a warlock-knight, that was obvious, and his warlock mark seemed to be the protruding horns on his forehead.

 

    “I sensed your magic when you broke through the first glamour.” The male says quietly as he pressed their foreheads together. “I’m glad to see you’re not injured from battle.”

 

    It was a tender moment that Alec felt like he was invading on. So he slants his gaze away from the couple and instead observes the garden they were standing in.

 

    “How was your mission? Good, I hope?”

 

    Catarina sighs “As good as it could get, I suppose. But I do come carrying some bad news.” A pause. “One of the demons got away…”

 

    “Okay?” The male drawls in confusion. “I don’t see how—”

 

    “It claimed to know him.” Catarina cuts in, voice terse. It immediately causes her lover to tense and he squares his shoulders.

 

    “That is foreboding news, indeed.” He says slowly. Then suddenly, the male was looking at all of them, his dark — practically black — eyes scanning them each head to toe.

 

    “You must be the Nephilims that sent the fire message?” He inquires curiously.

 

    Alec steps forward, extending his hand towards him before introducing himself, “My name is Alec Lightwood. Head of the Institute in Brooklyn. Pleasure to meet you.”

 

    The warlock fixes him with a perked eyebrow, a small smile twitching at his lips. “My, my.” He purrs. “You’re quite a polite one, aren’t you?” There’s a heartbeat before he extends his hand to shake Alec’s. “It’s a quite a pleasure to meet you as well, Alec Lightwood. My name is Ragnor Fell. I am a Warlock-Knight like Catarina.”

 

    His hand is firm and strong against Alec’s and he feels a little intimidated—both warlocks in front of him are _insanely_ intimidating and he can’t help but feel a little fearful about the High Warlock because if he thought Catarina was deadly with a sword, he can’t imagine how the High Warlock is.

 

    “Can I ask a quick question?” Simon pips up, holding his hand up like he was in middle school. “I’m just curious, but, I was wondering why you’re trained so well in combat. I mean — you have magic, right?”

 

    Ragnor chuckles, “Silly Daylighter—the High Warlock taught us precisely how to fight on our own without magic solely so we don’t completely depend on it. Why? Because what if we’re in a situation where our magic is blocked or locked away and we can’t access it when there’s an enemy in front of us?”

 

    “We may be Warlocks, but,” Catarina adds on, “the High Warlock taught us to use our magic as a secondary weapon.”

 

    Simon pauses for a moment, his lips an ‘o’ shape, before he lifts his index finger. He realizes, a little terrified, that “So that means...even though you’re a badass in combat, your magic is…”

 

    “Even more powerful.” Catarina finishes with a smirk. There’s a moment of absolute terrified silence and the warlocks can’t help but laugh.

 

    “If it helps,” Ragnor throws an arm around Simon’s shoulder as they begin walking forward, “we’re _nothing_ compared to the High Warlock.”

 

    A whimper leaves Simon and he seems to grow even paler than he already is. “How does that help? That is the opposite of helping.”

 

    They’re guided out of the large garden towards the pagoda when another small structure comes into view after they climb some stone stairs leading up a brief hill. A rather large gazebo with a few chairs and a decently sized table. The gazebo was perfectly placed towards a cliffs side, which overlooked the breathtaking view of the _Forest of Infernum_ below.

 

    Alec realized a little late that aside from the towering pagoda in front of him, there were other pagodas dotting across the land — they were smaller and less bold than this one, however. The one in front of him made him awestruck. It was so big and beautiful with its deep rep base paint and hints of green accenting the perfect areas. There also seemed to be sculptures of the Asian Dragon all over the place, so Alec inwardly speculated that High Warlock must’ve been from Asian decent. The pagoda was also surrounded by many trees — cherry blossoms, red oaks, maples, more than Alec could bother identifying.

 

    Whoever this High Warlock really was, he seemed to really appreciate nature and the beauty it holds.

 

    Catarina and Ragnor continue guiding them into the pagoda, where they pass more guards like the two at the Torii gate. Once physically inside the pagoda, it was even bigger than the outside portrayed it to be. The first story appeared to be a massive throne room. Two guards with large axes stood by the heavy looking doors, which swung open slowly to allow all of them passage. Stone statues of gargoyles were placed delicately around the room. High paneled stained glass windows. Several crystal chandeliers, a sleek marble floor that was so clear and clean that Alec could practically see his own reflection in it. There was a path leading towards a large red extravagant throne that quite literally yelled “royalty” with its red velvet seat and two large floor candelabras.

 

    Alec was too busy admiring the architectural design of the throne room to realize that there was an occupant on the throne chair.

 

    “Your Highness.” The warlock guiding them greeted in unison. They bent to a knee and pressed one of their fists to their chests, heads dipping low. The figure on the throne bows its head in reply. When Catarina turned her head to glare back at them, still in the same position, Alec caught the subtle hint she was giving them. Alec bends to knee and the others are quick to follow (though Isabelle and Clary has to yank a rather reluctant Jace down).

 

    “I’ve brought the Nephilims, unharmed, as you requested.” addressed Catarina.

 

    “You’ve done well, Catarina, like always.” The High Warlock’s voice is a little deeper than Alec anticipated but speaks of many volumes; of wisdom, of experience.

 

    They all stand up from their kneeling positions and Alec takes this opportunity to study the High Warlock. The Warlock is tall, probably nearly as tall as he is. He wore a long thick black cape over his shoulders that had shoulders of fur with hues of silver, white, and black. There was a hood on top of his head that casted a veil of darkness over his face, restricting any one from viewing his facial features. Despite the cape covering up most of his physique, Alec could make out the simple and modern attire underneath. Black skinny jeans and a dark blue jacket with only 3 buttons done. The hint of a textured white and blue shirt peeking out at the top of his chest, the buttons firmly done all the way up to the beginning of his throat. He also seemed to have something tied around his waist that peeks out from the small gap between his jacket flaps; a white and light grey cloth. Scarf perhaps. But Alec also notices more details at the Warlock lifts his hand, successfully moving the cape to the side to reveal a leather holster that he was wearing that had an attached sheath for a sword that he was equipped with at his side. Not to mention the layers of necklaces dangling on the front of his chest, his black fingernails, and the several rings adorning his digits.

 

    This attire seemed simple compared to his guards stationed around them and the armor the Warlock-Knights wore but maybe that was the point. He _is_ the High Warlock of Brooklyn and a Prince of Hell. He doesn’t need to dress fancy to prove that.

 

    Moving forward, Catarina approaches the High Warlock as she conjures up a martini in her hand. A single green olive bobbed in the alcoholic liquid as she handed the glass to him. He murmured a soft “thank you, darling” as he accepted the glass.

 

    Then there was silence.

 

    Alec couldn’t see his face but he was sure they were all being studied head to toe.

 

    “Your Highness” Isabelle greets gently with a formal, polite curtsy. It gains the attention of the High Warlock, who turns his head to her and returns her curtsy with a small bow of his head. At the positive response to her greeting, Isabelle allows a small smile to tug at the corner of her lips before she clears her throat a little, straightening her posture.

 

    “We’ve come with respect and peace” She continues.

 

    “If that’s the case, then I’m sure you wouldn’t mind relieving yourselves of your weapons.” The Warlock’s tone leaves no room for argument. Despite his seemingly neutral aura, he’s on high alert and has his guard up on full throttle.

 

    “That is,” The Warlock comments further, “unless _one of you_ came looking for a fight.”

 

    Alec frowns a little before, like a light bulb flicking on over his head, he realizes what the Warlock was referring to. He turns around and gives his parabatai a sharp glare. Jace sighs as he rolls his eyes and after a tense moment, he finally caves and gives an awaiting guard all of his weapons. The guard doesn’t move, however, when Jace hands him his fifth sword; like he’s sensing that Jace isn’t quite done yet.

 

    “ _All of them_ , Nephilim.” The High Warlock commanded. “If you think I’m blind, then you must be an idiot.”

 

    Jace glares at the Warlock before he shoves his hand into his boot to pull out his hidden dagger, tossing it angrily at the guard. The guard seems satisfied then and backs away.

 

    “Seems like not all of you came in peace and respect.” Ragnor observes in distaste. “And you wonder why _we_ have none when it comes to you _Shadowhunters_.”

 

    “Jace is Jace.” Simon provides lamely. “He’s always been like this. I can smell the God complex from here.”

 

    The High Warlock lets out a brief laugh. “I like the Daylighter.” He curts in amusement. “Simon, is it?”

 

    The said male blinks dumbly. “How do you know my name?”

 

    “I know all of your names.” The Warlock deadpans as he brings the glass up to his face to take a short sip. “I hear and see everything. Here, in my realm, I know your thoughts. I know your intentions, your desires, your deepest secrets. You all are open books right in front of me. So, if I were you,” he lifts the now empty glass up before it disappears in a puff of icy blue smoke then continues, voice dropping menacingly, “I’d choose my words wisely.”

 

    “If you know our intentions, then you know why we’re here.” Clary hypothesizes calmly, being careful with not only her words but her tone. “We need your help, Your Highness.”

 

    “My help?” The Warlock chuckles. “Why on earth should I give you Nephilim’s my _help_? All you’ve done is disgrace me and my kind because you Shadowhunters think you’re on the top of the food chain. You’ve never reached out to me before, in fact, this is the first time I even allowed Nephilim blood to be allowed here in my realm. But, by all means,” a vague hand gesture “continue to badger me with your reasons on why I should aid you.”

 

    “People are dying, Your Highness.” Isabelle speaks up. “Mundanes, vampires, werewolves, Shadowhunters — we’ve even discovered warlocks as well. We don’t know why exactly all of this is happening but there appears to be demons that possess multiple hosts to create chaos and death...We’re beginning to think it’s a uprising from Hell.”

 

    The Warlock tilts his head to the side and hums quietly. “Tell me how you know the phrase.” He orders calmly. “Only a handful know it—”

 

    “Joshua.” Clary interrupts. She digs into her pocket to pull out a pendant and holds it up, letting it dangle off of her fingers. “He was killed in Brooklyn. This was the only item of his that his aunt, Lucy, let us bring to you as proof.”

 

    The Warlock froze at the sight of the pendant but then he’s moving quickly; shooting out of the chair and approaching her with fast strides so he could gently take the pendant from her grip.

 

    “My dear mandu.” He murmurs quietly, running his thumb over the oval locket. Clary shares an odd look with Simon, who shrugs. “I sensed his presence in Brooklyn, but… it was like something, or some _one_ , blocked me from trying to reach him.”

 

    “We found him in front of the herbal shop in Chinatown.” Alec reveals. “He was trying to get into the shop in hopes of reaching you when he was killed.”

 

    “Practically torn apart, if you ask me.” Jace scoffs. “The only thing that did hold his limbs together was a small bit of his skin.”

 

    The warlock turns slowly to face the blonde Shadowhunter, fingers tightening around the pendant in his hands.

 

    “Whoever killed him wanted him dead before he could get a chance to reach you.” Isabelle diverts the Warlock’s angry glare away from Jace. She gives Jace a meaningful look — _“what your tongue before you end up losing it”_ — before she returns her gaze to the warlock to offer an offbeat smile.

 

    "We think we know who killed him.”

 

    “We had our ally, Luke, contact Joshua’s aunt.” Clary slowly approaches the Warlock only to stop when Catarina gestured her to. “She came to the Institute and gave us the phrase. However, she didn’t wish to come with us — she wanted to bury her nephew in peace.”

 

    “Wise choice.” The Warlock clips as he turns away from them, walking back towards his throne. “Brooklyn isn’t safe. For anyone.”

 

    “Which is why we need your help.” Simon insists urgently. “Tell him what happened, guys. Tell him what happened when you went to the herbal shop.”

 

    At this, the Warlock turns back around after a brief pause and faces them once again.

 

    Isabelle sighs gently and with an approving nod from her brother, she starts “When we got to the herbal shop, it was destroyed. Someone got there first.” The Warlock’s posture tenses. “We found the cashier barely alive. When we asked her who did this to her, she gave us a name.”

 

    “Asmodeus.” Jace growls as he steps forward. “I’m sure you know of him. Since he’s _your father_.”

 

    The atmosphere immediately changes and the lights on the candelabras suddenly blow out violently as the Warlock _growls_. His guards shift forward, weapons ready, but the Warlock swiftly lifts a hand to silently order them off.

 

    “If you’re suggesting that I am in alliance with my father then you are mistaken, _Nephilim_. I am nothing like my father, however, if you keep provoking me, then I’ll gladly let my guards _manhandle_ your sorry ass out of my realm.”

 

    “Jace.” Alec scowled. “Back off. _Don’t_ make me ask again.”

 

    “Whatever is causing all of this mayhem is somehow blocking my power. I can hardly see or hear what is going on outside of my realm. And, besides, even if what you say is true, then I assume you have proof? However, if you don’t, then don’t let my door kick you on your way out.” The Warlock seethed.

 

    “I do.” Alec quickly spoke up, garnering the Warlock’s attention. “The cashier gave me two items before she sadly passed. They’re in my quiver, though. Do I have permission to retrieve them, Your Highness?”

 

    The Warlock seems to study Alec for a moment before lifting his hand. The guard with Alec’s weapons steps toward him. With careful movements, Alec grabs the dagger, that was stilled wrapped in the scarf, and tenderly pulled it out of his quiver. When he turns to face the Warlock with both items in hand, he hears a gasp and glances up with furrowed eyebrows only for he himself to gasp in surprise. The Warlock is suddenly in front of him and the proximity is so close that Alec could smell his cologne.

 

    “By Lilith” the Warlock breathes as he takes the items from Alec’s palms. “You said the cashier was a female..?”

 

    “Yes.” Alec answers, eyes curiously trying to peek underneath the hood and into the never-ending darkness. He couldn’t help but be so curious, like a child digging around his parent’s belongings. The warlock seemed to attract Alec’s attention in more ways than Alec really enjoyed, or understood — he just felt oddly...drawn to the male.

 

    Sensing Alec’s curious gaze, the Warlock lifts its head and seemed to stare back at him.

 

    “We got a look at her name-tag. Her name was Ashley.” Clary clarified.

 

    “Ashley. She was supposed to be babysitting Madzie.” Catarina grits out. “But I guess her boss decided to be an ass again and forced her to come in for work. She must’ve brought Madzie with her.”

 

    Suddenly, Alec snaps out of his daze and looks up in alarm. “She was with Madzie?” He exclaims. “That’s...quite odd — my office was trashed the other day. Madzie’s file was pulled up on my  computer in the morning and there were many photos of her printed and scattered around.”

 

    Catarina and Ragnor share hesitant looks.

 

    “Wait, how do you know Madzie?” Isabelle asks, eyebrows drawn together.

 

    “We rescued her from Iris Rouse — I’m sure you’re _acquainted_ with that nuisance.” Ragnor snorts, folding his arms across his chest.

 

    Clary gives him a look. “If you call Iris destroying half of the Institute _acquainted with_ then sure.”

 

    “When you took Iris to the Gard, Madzie was left alone.” Ragnor turns his head to glance over at Catarina, smiling gently at her. “Catarina found her wandering the streets and took her in.”

 

    “Madzie took quite a liking to this place.” Catarina comments with a fond chuckle. “But she took an even bigger liking to you. She looks at you like a daughter would a father.”

 

    Her words were directed to the High Warlock, who was silent as he runs his thumb over the silk cloth of the scarf.

 

    “And I look at her like a father would a daughter.” The warlock murmurs quietly. He gently pulls the scarf back only to freeze completely at the sight of the curved dagger. Catarina and Ragnor are immediately at his side, eyes wide in something akin to terror.

 

    “This can only mean one thing.” Ragnor reckoned. “The Nephilims… they’re not lying, Your Highness. Asmodeus really was behind it — he was the only one in possession of the dagger!”

 

    “It makes sense.” The warlock grunts as he walks away from them, hands shaking as he grips on to the items. “Mandu being killed just outside of the shop before he could try to reach me, the shop getting destroyed, Ashley dead… she had these items with a purpose.”

 

    “Your Highness” Alec hesitates as he steps forward. The warlock stops pacing but doesn’t turn around to face him. “I’m sorry for the loss of Joshua. Lucy told me he meant a great deal to you. I am also sorry to hear about Ashley and Madzie. Whatever that dagger means to you, I’m sure it’s not good. I’m sure none of the news we brought to you is what you wanted to hear.” The warlock turns slowly to face Alec. “And as the Head of the Institute, I formally apologize for my brother’s behavior. He has the habit of trying to assert dominance over people he deems as a threat.”

 

    Jace raises an eyebrow and snorts “I don’t deem him as a threat. I bet I can take you on.”

 

    The warlock seemed amused by Jace’s cockiness while the others, however, are not.

 

    “Jace!” Clary scolds. “What is with you?!”

 

    “Is this a challenge I’m sensing?” The warlock purrs. “Well then, fine. I’ll take you up on your petty little challenge, Goldilocks—”

 

    “—What did you just call me?!—”

 

    “—But maybe some other time.” He continues, as if Jace’s squawk of bewilderment didn’t occur. “I have more important matters than dealing with an _immature child_ that’s got his head so far up his ass, he can see through his belly button.”

 

    Jace growls and charges forward only to get stopped by a guard.

 

    “What I’m _saying_ is” Alec sends a look of warning to his brother “he’s usually a lot better than this but I guess today he woke up deciding he’d act like a complete ass in front of the High Warlock… and, honestly, a part of me sincerely hopes you hold on to that challenge, Your Highness. Maybe that’ll be enough momentum to get his head out of his ass.”

 

    The Warlock’s laughter resonates throughout the hall. Jace gaps at him in disbelief, but Alec ignores it — a bit too proud with himself to make the warlock laugh so freely like that.

 

    “Your Highness.” Clary interjects before Jace could continue barking up the wrong tree. “Does this mean you accept our plea? Will you help us?”

 

    “Asmodeus is out there.” Simon reasons when he sees the warlock hover. “He somehow broke out of Edom and is not roaming around Brooklyn killing innocent people. And from what I hear,” he takes a tentative step forward, “you’re not one to let innocents die in vain. He killed Joshua and Ashley and, judging by the circumstances of those two items, he must have Madzie as well. I’m sure he’s more than willing to continue killing. If he didn’t want anyone trying to reach you, there must be a reason why.”

 

    There’s a tensed silence. The warlock continues to hover, weighing his options, though he didn’t seem entirely convinced on their behalf. The matter is personal, after all, and he’s not very fond nor trustful of Shadowhunters.

 

    But Alec hopes he can change that.

 

    “I know you already know my name but I don’t think we’ve been _formally_ introduced. I’m Alec Lightwood.” He steps forward, forgoing the guards. “Head of the Institute. I’ve been creating positive change between the Shadowhunters and the Downworlders. It’s a work in progress, yes, but I’ve now been able to surround myself with people that were once enemies. Vampires. Werewolves, alike. I realize that I haven’t gotten the chance to mend to the wounds we caused to the warlocks.” He extends his hand out to the warlock, who looks down at it for a moment before looking up at him. “I hope you allow me to get that chance. And I’m not speaking to you as a Prince of Hell… I’m speaking to you as the _High Warlock_ of Brooklyn.”

 

    The warlock regards him with a pleased hum. “You carry the weight of responsibility and respect on your shoulders, Alec Lightwood. And I admire that.”

 

    The warlock slowly takes a step forward and extends his hand to take Alec’s. The Shadowhunter gasps quietly as he feels a jolt of electricity buzz between their palms and a pull that has him shuddering; it was like a connection was forged just by their hands wrapping around the other.

 

    “Besides, what happened between the Shadowhunters and us warlocks was centuries ago. I don’t think a few apologies will mend anything but if you put effort behind your words, then I believe real change will happen.” They shake hands and Alec breathes a sigh of relief.

 

    Once their hands let go of each other, the buzzing stopped and instead left with a lingering sensation of tingles. He rubs his palm idly.

 

    “Since we’ll be aiding each other, I’m also entrusting you with a secret. If you reveal it, our alliance is off.” The warlock warns distantly. Alec nods quickly, eyes a little wide in wonder. The warlock studies him before lifting his hand towards his hood. They all gasp once the hood is off of his head, disappearing in a wisp of black smoke to reveal his face.

 

    This man was absolutely _breathtaking_.

 

    A black Mohawk styled perfectly with a few strands falling over his forehead. Distinct cheekbones, sharp jawline, and finely groomed goatee. His eyes were sharp, outlined in a hint of black, and an alluring shade of bourbon. His ears were also adorned with a matching set of ear cuffs but the piece that stood out the most, aside from his eyes, was the forehead crown he had on. It was a simple black wiring design with a single, blood red crystal in the center.

 

    Alec lets out a small breathe, feeling his heart palpitate in his chest. The man in front of him is surely the most beautiful person he’s ever laid eyes on.

 

    The warlock also senses this and lightly smirks.

 

    “My name is Magnus.” Magnus announces as he scans the faces behind Alec. “Magnus Bane.”

 

    “That’s… a name not in our database.” Clary murmurs in realization.

 

    “Clary Fairchild.” Magnus calls out softly. “I knew your mother.” Clary’s eyes widen a little before they immediately begin to tear up. “She came to me a couple of times for aid. You were so young during that time… Needless to say, it was a joy watching you grow up into the strong, fiery woman you are now. You’re a spitting image of her.” She smiles softly at him as tears roll down her cheeks. “Do not let the knowledge of who your father is let you hinder who the person you are today, my little Biscuit. And as for you, _Alexander_.”

 

    Isabelle lets out a small noise in surprise.

 

    “He doesn’t let anyone call him that—” She interjects belatedly.

 

    But Alec just shakes his head. “It’s fine. He can call me whatever he likes.” He dismisses. This causes a smile to lift at Magnus’ lips.

 

    “I may have had the _unpleasant_ experience of dealing with your parents numerous of times but I can assure you, I know you carry a different but better name to your family. You’re not like your parents and I could tell from the second you walked into my garden. And while I am thoroughly tempted to play more with you… I’m afraid that’ll have to wait. For now.” He sighs quietly, expression turning serious. “We have a greater demon to catch.”

 

* * *

 

    “What the hell is wrong with you, Jace?” Isabelle hisses as they storm back into the Institute.

 

    Ragnor and Catarina had been gracious enough to guide them safely out of Magnus’ realm and back into Brooklyn. After sealing the deal with Magnus, they had agreed for the Warlock to come to the Institute tomorrow afternoon so they could formulate a plan, and so that Magnus could meet the other Downworld leaders.

 

    Alec was honestly surprised they even made it that far, _especially_ with how Jace was behaving.

 

    “Provoking the High Warlock in his own realm?” She whips around to glare at him, placing her hands on the ops table. “You’re lucky you didn’t spark an _actual war_. We don’t have the numbers for that.”

 

    “I don’t trust him.” Jace states simply. “I don’t see why I should either. He’s only aiding us to defeat his father, that’s it. It’s not like I’m required to befriend him.”

 

    “You are, if you know what’s best for the Shadoworld.” Alec growls. “I meant what I said earlier. The history between the Shadowhunters and the Warlock is long, bloody, and violent. But that was _centuries_ ago. We’ve gone through problematic leaders one by one and, slowly, we’ve managed to make a good image of ourselves. We’ve finally gotten the stamp of approval from Rafael and his clan and solved the issues we had with werewolves, and _you know_ how that was to get, so I plan on doing the same with the High Warlock.”

 

    Clary sighs “It’s not going to be easy. But doing this, helping him stop his father might be a good factor in earning his favor.”

 

    “Especially if we bring Madzie back.” Simon agrees. “A little girl… She doesn’t deserve to be in this mess. She already had to go through the chaos named Iris Rouse and that alone was a lifetime of PTSD.”

 

    Jace rolls his eyes and huffs in frustration. “Look, you all can be buddy-buddy with him all you want but I don’t give a crap about him and his story — and I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one here in the Institute that feels the same. All I care about is ending this damn thing so we can get it over and done with.”

 

    And with that, he promptly walks away.

 

    Simon looks at Clary, unamused, and an eyebrow raised. “He’s _your_ fiance.”

 

    Clary sends an apologetic look to Alec before she quickly dashes after Jace, hoping to knock some sense into him herself. Isabelle leans up to peck Simon on the check before heading off towards her office, announcing that she’ll begin preparations for the High Warlock’s visit tomorrow. Realizing that he probably should debrief everyone at the Institute, Alec manages to lock-eyes with his mother from across the ops room and instantly begins advancing towards her.

 

    “Mom, do me a favor and go in the intercom to announce a meeting here in the ops room in 15 minutes.” He requests. At his mother’s puzzles look, Alec continues “The High Warlock agreed to meet with us, that’s why we weren’t back any sooner. He’s accepted our offer and will be aiding us. We’ve agreed for him to come to the Institute tomorrow and I want to prepare for everyone for it.”

 

    Maryse swallows thickly and glances at Luke, who is wary beside her.

 

    “What’s he like?” Luke asks.

 

    “Honestly?” Alec exhales and looks at him, eyebrows raised. _“Absolutely_ _terrifying.”_

 

    “Fantastic.” Maryse says flatly, eyes wide.

 

    “But Lucy was right. He’s got a soft side and I saw a bit of it earlier when we were in his realm.” Alec admits, reaching up to rub the back of his neck. “Jace kept provoking him and it nearly caused the end of our alliance.”

 

    Maryse groans and pinches the bridge of her nose. “By the Angel, I am gonna beat that man-child.”

 

    “What exactly did he do?” Luke asks with a frown.

 

    “Literally challenged the High Warlock to a duel.” Alec’s lips formed into a tight line.

 

    There was a silence before Luke huffs out “Looks like we’re _both_ gonna need to beat that overgrown man-child.”

 

    “I’m gonna go call for the meeting.” Maryse exhales as she walks away, rubbing her forehead. “Then I’m gonna go lecture Jace for about an hour or two.”

 

    “Do you think Jace is going to clear up his attitude by tomorrow?” Simon prompts as he joins Alec, who approaches a screen to bring up Asmodeus’ file so he could begin reading its contents — which was very little.

 

    “No.” Alec answers plainly. “I don’t think he will. The only thing I’m sure of, is that Jace is fully intending on dueling him at any given moment.”

 

> _Great Demon/Fallen Angel. Former Prince of Hell._   
>  _Dethroned by Lucifer when deemed unworthy of the title and was replaced by his chosen son, name unknown, whom is also the current High Warlock of Brooklyn._   
>  _Asmodeus was one of Lucifer’s followers when he led the Uprising and when they were banished to Hell._   
>  _He became a ruler of his own realm, along with Lilith (Mother of Demons), Edom._   
>  _Warlock mark is cat eyes._

 

    “I think the only thing stopping him from actually challenging him was the amount of guards.” Alec continues. “But once he’s here, I have no doubt in my mind that Jace won’t hesitate.”

 

    Simon purses his lips “I kinda hope he does” he admits meekly. Alec turns to him with a raised eyebrow. “I mean, I know Jace isn’t always like this — Clary really did a number on him — but whenever he is like this, he’s a total douche and he always wins those kinds of battles. I’m just saying.” He flails his arms in the air. “I’d really dig the sight of him getting royally served.”

 

    Alec grins at him. “Pun intended?” he muses.

 

    Simon returns the grin with one of his own and aims finger-guns at him. “Pun intended. You’re getting better with the whole puns and jokes kinda thing! I’m proud of you, man!”

 

    “Doesn’t help that Clary insists on having you around 24/7.” Alec jokes, returning his attention back to the file on the screen. “I’m sure if you weren’t a vampire, we’d make you into a Shadowhunter.”

 

    “Too bad vampires can’t be Shadowhunters.” Simon pouts.

 

    “Too bad.” Alec agrees with a soft smile.

 

    Eventually everyone begins to gather into the ops room around 10 minutes later. Alec and his mother stood at the top of the steps, where he normally stood so he could debrief everyone, as he waited patiently. He waited for a few more moments until everyone had finished gathering in front of him, looking up at him in question.

 

    “Thank you all for finding some time to gather here.” Alec begins. “But I want you all to listen closely, because this is very a serious matter so I expect every single one of you to take this as seriously as I am. As you may know by now, a new ally wolf pack had lost one of its youngest members, Joshua Greenhemmer. We had investigated his murder and found a connection to someone I sincerely hoped we would never ever have to cross paths with.

 

    Asmodeus is one of the rulers of Edom, a realm deep in Hell. He’s a powerful Greater Demon that has spent centuries locked up down there. Somehow, someway, he got released from his banishment and is now wreaking havoc in Brooklyn. While we don’t have solid proof that he’s behind this, we do think he’s connected with what’s going on.

 

    While we were investigating Joshua’s murder, we had stumbled upon an herbal shop that was a front for Warlock supplies. Turns out, Joshua was attempting to get into the shop in hopes of reaching a certain Warlock that he believed that could stop all of his tyranny. Sadly, he was killed before he had the chance to. Luckily, we did manage to identify the Warlock in question but I know none of you are going to particularly enjoy this.” He pauses his speech as he glances around the room, trying to meet as many eyes as he can. “The High Warlock of Brooklyn.”

 

    Immediately, murmurs begin to fill the room. Alec waits patiently for it to die down, for it doesn’t last very long.

 

    “I know what you’re all thinking. If Asmodeus was dangerous than his son is even more so, seeing as he’s not only the High Warlock but also the Prince of Hell. Originally, there was a worry that the High Warlock would be an ally to his father. I originally thought that he was the one who set his father free possibly — I had no other reason to think otherwise.

 

    A couple of hours ago, we got word of a murder and we went to investigate. We stumbled upon a woman named Catarina, who was the High Warlock’s top Warlock-Knight. She actually saved my ass from getting skewered by a demon, so I do owe her my thanks.” He chuckles a little to himself before continuing, “Catarina safely guided all of us,” he gestures to his friends that stood beside him “to the High Warlock’s realm. His Kingdom grounds. Which, by the way, is as beautiful as it is terrifying if I might add — it’s the _Forest of Infernum_ , where it is said the first Warlocks were created. We were able to meet the High Warlock and get him to agree to aid us in our efforts to stop his father.”

 

    “Now I know what you’re all thinking.” Isabelle pips up. “How were we able to do that? Well, other than my big brother here somehow swooning him a little bit,” she sends Alec a charming smile despite the look he sends her, “we presented the High Warlock two key pieces of evidence that were given to us by a cashier at the herbal shop, who had sadly been murdered as well. A scarf and a curved dagger. We don’t quite know what the dagger means but the High Warlock seemed extremely disturbed by the sight of it. The scarf, however, was the same exact scarf that Madzie wore around her neck.” She lifts her hand to bring up an image of Madzie on the large screen behind her. “The cashier that died gave these items to Alec. She was set to babysit Madzie when the shop got attacked. She told us that Asmodeus was the one who did it, and we’re thinking that he has Madzie.”

 

    “Madzie, who is the adopted daughter of Catarina.” Alec comments. “Madzie, who looks up at the High Warlock like her own father. Asmodeus has Madzie and that alone seems to be a clear message towards the High Warlock. Now he is tough. He does have a short fuse but you have to watch your words and your tone carefully. We were barely able to get him to agree to help us because of Jace challenging him to a god damn duel in his own realm. While the High Warlock is patient and conniving, he wasn’t interested in putting Jace in place. However, I’m sure Jace won’t quit until he gets his way.

 

    Furthermore, we’ve come to an arrangement. The High Warlock, along with some members of his own guard, will be coming to the Institute tomorrow afternoon. It’s the only safest place where we could join together and form a plan without Asmodeus, or any other demon, attempting to spy on us due to our protective wards. It’s a bit risky, I know this, and I know you all won’t like it, but it’s the only way.”

 

[ mood ↺ “take it all” by ruelle ]

 

    Alec pauses before he sighs, shifting on his feet. “Look, I know you’ve all been working hard. Being a Shadowhunter isn’t an easy job. Between demons, watching out for mundanes — you know how crazy they cant get—and other Shadoworld problems, none of can never really seem to catch a break. It’s never a quiet day for us, and if it is, by the Angel, we’re gonna be paranoid about it for the rest of the day. We just recently solved the issues we had with the vampires and now we have one of our strongest allies, Rafael.” He gestures to Rafael, who bows his head in a greeting. “And it’s taken some time and much needed effort but he’s finally made a good impact on all of you, which was why his temporary stay here with his clan has gone so smoothly. Luke was here since the beginning and with Clary’s help, he’s gained all of your guys’ trust but that doesn’t mean the feud between werewolves and Shadowhunters were over. It took nearly 2 years for us to come to peaceful terms with them, and that was a feud that’s been going on for nearly 300 years.”

 

    “If we can make amends with vampires and werewolves, then we can make amends with Warlocks.” Maryse joins in. “It won’t be easy. The history between the Shadowhunters and the Warlocks is, by the far, the most ugliest. Back then, we were very hateful towards their kind and they suffered many centuries of prejudice by everyone. However, the High Warlock shows interest in working on making amends for what happened in the past in hopes of working out the problems we’re facing here in the present. So, we all sincerely hope you can put forth that effort as well.”

 

    “I know some of you still have the same mindset as the Clave.” Isabelle recalls. “I know some of you resent Warlocks. And I also know there are bad warlocks out there, just as much as there are good. The High Warlock is tricky and hard to crack but the fact that he’s put aside his own resentment towards us in order to stop the chaos, in order to stop the deaths of the innocent, speaks volumes. I hope you guys can find it in yourselves to do the same.”

 

    Alec observes the crowd before them, noticing most of them are wary and apprehensive but a bit inspired as well.

 

    “I do advise you all to be on your best behaviors tomorrow. This is not my giving you all advise or a recommendation, this is a must. Treat the High Warlock with respect and dignity and he will return the favor, we’ve witnessed that first hand. He could’ve easily torn Jace to shreds with a simple flick of his wrist solely for speaking out against him in his own realm but he even stopped his _own guards_ from stepping close. I don’t think he is like his father, no. I know that even though he’s dangerous, mysterious, and coy, he doesn’t prefer to kill aimlessly and he doesn’t like innocent people dying.”

 

    “The tension isn’t going be solved in one day.” Luke emphasizes. “It’s gonna need hard work, a whole lot of patience, and a healthy dose of good luck to get on the Warlock’s good side — we’re not just speaking about the High Warlock, but we’re also speaking about his people. He may be able to make order for his people, but he is also the voice of his people. In the end, he might end up doing what his people wish, who knows. It really depends on what an impact every single one of you can make on him.”

 

    “I can not stress this enough.” Alec sighs as he steps forward. “Please, if you wish for this chaos to end as much as I do, take this matter seriously and move past your own prejudice against the Warlock because it’s our only hope to defeat this darkness that shrouds over all of our worlds.”

 

    The rest of the day goes by rather fast. Alec is so caught up in preparations for the tomorrow that he barely notices the time zooming past him. Maryse and Isabelle begin to aid him in his efforts so he doesn’t carry the weight alone, and he can’t help but be immensely grateful towards them. On top of that, there’s two more murders that they were notified about but he had a few groups of Shadowhunters volunteer to go investigate so he could stay at the Institute and focus on the major task at hand.

 

    Surprisingly, a lot more seem to be onboard with the idea of the High Warlock coming here. Not that they don’t feel apprehensive, of course, not that Alec expected them not to be. But they’re willing to put forth as much effort as Alec is. There is a good handful that have made it obvious that they don’t plan on joining them in their efforts, and Alec has no problem putting them elsewhere on jobs that are boring and uneventful in response.

 

    Yes, he can petty be when he feels like it.

 

    Jace had eventually come around after a couple of hours, looking defeated and solemn. Clary was _pissed_ when she had returned a bit before him. She’s the type that when angry enough, she tears up and Alec could see the tears glistening in her eyes as she stormed into the ops room, cheeks red from anger. She didn’t even spare anyone a glance, simply approached Alec and asked him what her first job was. So by the time Jace arrived, looking the way he did, they all knew that they must’ve gotten into a rather big fight.

 

    Jace apologized to Alec for his behavior and says that despite it all, he does still plan on challenging the High Warlock. His reason caught Alec off-guard, though. Jace is set on redeeming himself no matter the outcome of the duel. He feels that it’s necessary, now that he’s pissed the Warlock off, and feels that it’d be a good idea for both of them to kind of vent it all out at once. Jace knew he was going to lose, hoped for it actually, because he believed he did deserve an ass whoop for his behavior lately and he knows the Warlock will be cut enough to do it. Alec can’t seem to really understand Jace’s logic but accepts his apology anyways.

 

    The last thing Alec remembered before he gets dragged to his room by the ear was stressing about the dining hall arrangements. He thought it’d be a good idea to throw a feast in the High Warlock’s honor but he didn’t even know what kind of food he likes. So, as a result, Alec spent an unnecessary amount stressing over something as mundane as a dish.

 

    He just didn’t want to offend the Warlock even more than Jace already has. (Sorry, Jace)

 

    But he’s relieved to be in his own space now. He can finally wash the day off his skin and climb into his bed feeling refreshed yet painfully exhausted. However, despite being so exhausted, he doesn’t fall asleep straight away. Instead, he lingers on his back and stares up at the intricate designs above him.

 

    His mind wanders.

 

    “Magnus Bane.” Alec ponders quietly, fingertips drumming against his barely stomach.

 

    He recalls the moment he laid eyes upon Magnus, hood up and features a mystery. There was something about him that Alec just couldn’t put his finger on and that alone was what peaked his interest, like a fish getting reeled in.

 

    There’s got to be more to Magnus than he lets on. He knows that for sure. Alec has usually been a good judge when it comes to people’s character, albeit he has been wrong from time to time.

 

    But all that glamour, all that shiny embroidery, all the threats he spews out—there’s something behind it, Alec just knows. There’s something behind everything, so there must be a specific reason behind Magnus’ resilient hate towards Nephilims. There are many walls that he’s built up, so it’s not like getting close to him will be easy—not like anything that’s going on right now is going to be easy. But hopefully what’s happening is what will bring them closer. Hell, it already brought them together in the first place.

 

    Alec finally is able to fall asleep after making a mental note to figure out just who Magnus Bane really is.

 

    (And if he dreams of that sharp cologne, that attractive smile, and those deep brown eyes, he doesn’t tell anyone.)

 

* * *

 

    “So” Isabelle says as she steps to Alec’s side, observing the swarm of Shadowhunters buzzing in front of them, “are you ready?”

 

    Alec raises an eyebrow at his sister. “Is that a rhetorical question, Izzy?”

 

    Her red lips pull up into a fond smile. “You’ll do fine, Alec.” She reassures. “You’ve handled slightly worse than this, so I’m sure you can figure this out as well.”

 

    “In what way have I gone through something worse than having a High Warlock in the Institute?”

 

    She ponders for a moment, pursing her lips. “How about… having Jace shove your own arrow into your chest?” She offers. Alec grimaces. “And having Iris Rouse nearly flatten the entire Institute because she was throwing a hissy fit. Remember that?”

 

    “Izzy.” He warns, closing his eyes.

 

    “‘Cause I do.” She continues merrily, eyes twinkling with mischief. “I _specifically_ remember her making a fake anaconda and you shrieking like a little girl—”

 

    “—I did _not_ shriek like a little girl—”

 

    “—and grabbing onto Jace like your life depended on it—”

 

    “—Did you _see_ that thing?!” Alec squawks, hands gesturing vaguely as he tries to show the length of it. “It was like, I don’t know, 20 fucking feet! It could’ve swallowed me for dinner!”

 

    She nearly falls over as she cackles in laughter. Alec feels his face flame in embarrassment as he faces her, putting his hands on his hips.

 

    “How the hell are you scared of a 5 inch rat but not of a _20 foot snake_?!”

 

    “Because it was _fake_!” She bellows between fits of laughter.

 

    Alec holds his arms open in bewilderment. “You don’t _know that_!”

 

    That only made her laugh harder.

 

    “Alec.” The said male glances up to spot Jace, who looks too amused for his liking and is biting back his own laughter.

 

    Alec squints at him and points an accusatory finger at him. “You shut your mouth. I thought we all agreed to pretend that day never happened!”

 

    “Oh please.” Jace scoffs as he rolls his eyes. “We’re family, Alec. Embarrassing shit like this is something we never let go.”

 

    Alec grumbles to himself and folds his arms across his chest. “Yeah? You wanna talk about embarrassing shit? Alright. I’m game.” He squints even harder. “What about when you were undercover and tried to seduce a Seelie, who turned out to be a lesbian, but you thought you _‘had enough dick game to turn a lesbian straight’_ ,” he lifts his hands to air quote, “as you so beautifully put. So you drank too much in hopes of getting her drunk and you ended up not only puking _all over her_ and your brand new shoes but you also managed to slip on your own puke and land _face first_ in it?”

 

    Jace looked _horrified_ , face rid of every color. Isabelle was practically crying in laughter. But, oh, Alec wasn’t done just yet.

 

    “And you, Izzy.” He begins with a grin. “What about the time we had Simon over for dinner for the time and you let out the loudest fart right in front of him?”

 

    Isabelle’s laughter immediately seized and she gaped at him, cheeks deep scarlet. Jace starts laughing and covers his mouth with his hand.

 

    “Did you really need to announce that so loudly?” She hisses, swatting Alec’s arm.

 

    “Hello, my children.” Maryse greets as she approaches them with a wistful smile. “We’re pretty much done with our preparations. Just a few last minute touch-ups.” She notices Isabelle’s mortified expression, Jace laughing behind his hand, and Alec’s smug expression, and grows confused herself.

 

    “Did I miss something?”

 

    “Nope.” Alec popped the ‘p’ with a wide grin. “Just reminding them of the good ol’ times, that’s all.”

 

    “Okay, well, that’s good.” Maryse implied in a tone that obviously stated that she didn’t quite believe him. “Aside from the preparations being nearly finished, I do come with something rather annoying. Apparently, Underhill has broken up with Meredith and she’s throwing a bit of a… hissy fit in the training room.”

 

    Isabelle groans and begins stomping in the direction Maryse mentioned, mumbling something about an _incompetent little bitch._

 

    “Mr. Lightwood! They’re here!”

 

    Alec shoots his head up in alarm, eyes wide. Luke approaches, in somewhat of a similar state.

 

    “They’re here, going through security right now.” He confirms. Alec feels a small wave of panic spur in his chest.

 

    “Okay, uh,” he looks around the ops room then stutters, “w-well, I’m hoping everything’s all finished by now?”

 

    Luke nods and clamps a hand on his shoulder. “Everything’s ready and everything’s perfect, Alec.” He comforts, slipping his arm around his shoulder as he moves to stand at his side. “But now here comes the hard part.”

 

    Alec makes a wounded sound in agreement and Luke squeezes his shoulder in response. After a few moments, the doors finally open and a few Shadowhunters enter first, quickly making motion to make a path. The first one to enter the room is Catarina, dressed in the same armor he met her in. Ragnor is behind her and he’s shortly followed by the High Warlock, who has 2 guards on each side of him. The Warlock has his hood up, covering his face up completely and Alec isn’t surprised, kinda expecting that to happen.

 

    After a few steps, the Warlock stops as he takes on everyone in front of him. All eyes were on him now. He appears to look around, glancing at every apprehensive face that stared at him before he finally met the gaze of Alec, who stood at the top of the stairs looking nervous yet patient. They stared at each other for a moment before Alec nods softly at him. There’s an awaited beat before the Warlock reaches up to remove the hood. There reaction is immediately from everyone and Alec could see the apprehension in everyone’s faces relax — some even eyed the Warlock in admiration.

 

    Magnus kept his eyes locked on Alec, however, and paid no heed to those around him as he begins walking forward. Ragnor and Catarina are the first to approach Alec and they both exchange a peaceful greeting. Magnus slowly walks up the steps and stands in front of him.

 

    “Thank you for coming.” Alec begins, extending one of his hands out. “As the Head, I formally welcome you to the Institute.”

 

    Magnus glances down at his hand and seems to debate for a moment before he hesitantly reaches up to take it.

 

    “Pleasure to be here, Mr—”

 

    “Please.” Alec cut in with a soft smile. “Call me Alexander. You’re more than welcome to.”

 

    Magnus seems a little surprised, though his shoulders so relax a little. “Alright. Alexander.” He offers with a small smile. “Pleasure to be here. Thank you for welcoming me here.” Alec gives Magnus’ hand a gentle squeeze then lets go before he looks away to begin addressing the crowd in front of him (if he had allowed himself the luxury to stare into Magnus’ eyes just a little bit longer, he probably would’ve noticed the subtle gulp in response to the hand squeeze).

 

    “Everyone, I want you to meet the High Warlock of Brooklyn.” Alec announces, gesturing an arm out to Magnus, who glances nervously at him before looking out into the sea of faces.

 

    “My name is Magnus Bane. I am here on peaceful terms, I assure all of you. I mean no harm being here and I hope none of you feel all too threatened by my presence. However,” he pauses, “please do excuse our tension. We’ve… never been in Shadowhunter company in over 500 years.”

 

    “We’re not proud of the past.” Maryse admits with a heavy burden. “I, for one, am definitely not. I’ve made a lot of questionable decisions and a lot of mistakes. But I’ve owned up to it all and learned from it.”

 

    At Magnus’ curious gaze, Maryse blinks before she smiles sweetly at him, extending her hand towards in a peace offering.

 

    “I am Maryse Lightwood. Alec’s mother and the Head of Security. It’s an honor to meet you, Magnus Bane.”

 

    Magnus surprises himself as he reaches to take her hand and warily asks, “Are you saying that because I’m a Prince of Hell?”

 

    She frowns and looks a little offended by his question. “Of course not. I’m saying that because you’re the most pristine High Warlock by date!” She spots her son giving her a look of shock. “What? I pay attention. I don’t let his title scare me away from admiring the work he’s done to protect his people.”

 

    “Well,” Magnus clears his throat. “I’m uh — flattered, Ms. Lightwood. Thank you.”

 

    “Magnus.” Jace speaks up after a moment. Magnus grows tense immediately and eyes him suspiciously.

 

    “Have you come to—”

 

    “I’ve come to apologize.” Jace interrupts. Magnus blinks rapidly before holding a hand up, index finger lifted.

 

    “I’m sorry, what?” He asks in bewilderment. “Jace Wayland… apologizing?”

 

    Jace chuckles, rubbing his neck. “I know, it’s still a new concept for me, too.” He simpers. “But still… I was disrespectful. I let my prejudice of how the old ways were in the way of things despite knowing, deep down, you were really our only change of figuring out what’s going on.”

 

    “So” Magnus says slowly “you take back the whole ‘I think I can take you on’ thing?”

 

    “Well, actually, I was hoping you were still up for that.” Jace wishes with a small smile. “Just a friendly duel, ya know. I mean… I know you’ll most likely kick my ass and I’m pretty sure I deserve it with the way I was speaking to you back there. I challenged you to a duel. In your throne room. In your realm.”

 

    Magnus raises an eyebrow and muses, “You do have some balls on you, Goldilocks.”

 

    “Oh, by the Angel,” Jace groans, exasperated, “are you going to continue calling me that?”

 

    “Of course I will.” Magnus boasts with a grin, hands extending out beside him. “I give a lot of people nicknames.”

 

    Jace rolls his eyes and folds his arms across his chest. “Alright, fair enough. Are you in for that duel or not?”

 

    Magnus considers the offer with a soft hum, eyes scanning Jace head to toe. “I suppose it’d be an introduction of sorts.”

 

    “An introduction?” Alec parrots in confusion. “What do you mean?”

 

    “You think I’m going to let you lot take on a Greater Demon without being fully trained?” Magnus challenged as he slowly turned to look at him, eyebrow raised. “I doubt any of you even killed an Asmodei before. None of you are prepared to face a demon like that, let alone my father.”

 

    “So you’ll be training us?” puzzles Clary.

 

    “Correct, Biscuit.” Magnus smiles, pointing a finger in her direction. “Your guys’ only hope of facing a demon and actually winning is to be trained to _fight_ like a demon. How do you think I trained Catarina and Ragnor?”

 

    “Catarina cut through a demon. _Like butter._ ” Simon stressed. “It was terrifying… I’m down, though, when do we start?”

 

    Magnus chuckles quietly. “Tomorrow. Fresh in the morning. I suppose you have a training area of sorts?” He asks Alec, who nods. “Alright. We’ll all gather there at 8am and that, my dear Goldilocks, is where I’ll taking you up on your little challenge. I just hope I don’t need to teach you all that much. I don’t think I’ll have enough time to completely train you.”

 

    “We pick up fast.” Isabelle jested with a small smile. “Trust me, I’m sure we’ll all catch on to your training fast, Magnus.”

 

    This seemed to appease the warlock a little bit. “Good. Now,” he looks around briefly before looking over at Alec, “I smell some delicious food. I presume you made a feast? Perfect! Shall we then? You all better eat as much as you can. You’ll need the energy for tomorrow.”

 

    As everyone began making their way towards the dining hall, Alec quickly reaches out to touch Magnus’ arm.

 

    “Hey.” He gently called out. Magnus pauses, glances down at his hand, before looking up at him with his eyebrows raised. Alec gets the hint and removes his hand.

 

    “Sorry, I just… I just wanted to say one thing. If you ever run into a problem here, no matter how small, don’t hesitate to tell me. Okay?” Alec says softly, eyes searching Magnus’. “There will be complete transparency, so any information I have will be relayed to you. But if you run into a conflict somewhere along the lines, especially here with any Shadowhunters, I will handle personally.”

 

    “Why are you saying all of this, Alexander?” Magnus questions.

 

    Alec pauses briefly, unsure for a moment. “Because I just want you to feel comfortable and safe while under my protection. Not caged.”

 

    His words surprise Magnus, and it shows in his expression.

 

    Alec shows a soft smile and he touches Magnus’ elbow as he brushes past him. It was a simple gesture, probably nothing, but it still made Magnus gasp quietly. He glances down at his elbow and gently rubs it — it’s tingling with the warmth of Alec’s touch. Slowly, he turns his head to watch Alec’s retreating back as he joins Isabelle and Jace, who both throw their arms around him. He continues watching them for a moment before he notices movement in his peripheral vision. Magnus glances over and notices Catarina and Ragnor, staring at him with small grins on their face. Magnus just rolls his eyes at them before he moves to follow the crowd towards the dining hall.

 

    His stay here is definitely going to be interesting, and he himself isn’t quite sure how it’ll end. But with a quick glance at Alec (who gives him a reassuring smile) as he takes a seat in front from him, Magnus hopes that all Shadowhunters are just like him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> throne room: https://i.imgur.com/MmTfctu.jpg  
> the forest of infernum/the realm of the high warlock: https://i.imgur.com/Y05ihXl.jpg
> 
> In all honesty, it's a lot harder to write slow burn Malec, but I'm doing my best. Obviously, unlike in the show, Magnus isn't the one showing interesting in Alec and pursuing him, it appears to be the other way around. I've made Alec more confident in himself here in this story and I've also made him more self-aware. He knows his own strengths, his weaknesses, and he weight each word before he says them. He's wise and headstrong but he's also patient kind. I hope the Alec here kind of pleases you.
> 
> Magnus, on the other hand, is very closed-off and distrustful towards everyone, not just Shadowhunters. While in the show, Alec's character development was something I really liked to watch, but we never really got a chance to see how much Alec meant to Magnus. In this story, I'm trying to convey that kind of idea and hopefully, I'll be able to execute it as well as I am doing in my head lol So please do look forward to Magnus' character development as well.
> 
> I hope this story is interesting to some of you. I know these first two chapters are somewhat uneventful but it's build-up. I figured it'd be a lot easier than just jumping straight into the conflict. There are many ideas I can't wait to show you guys but I will give you a hint: the next chapter is when things really begin to pick up and a wall that Magnus had built comes crashing down, I assure you.
> 
> Thank you all for reading. I hope you enjoyed and I will see you all next update :)


	3. deep end (pulling me underneath)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I'm slipping into the deep end   
> I'm in over my head   
> I can't catch my breath   
> I'm slipping into the deep end   
> Feel the current within   
> I can't help, I give in"

    Morning came too quickly for Alec’s liking. Being so exhausted last night, and barely being able to get solid hours of sleep, and having so much to worry about, he woke up feeling restless instead of refreshed. By the time he had pulled himself out of his (insanely comfortable and warm) bed, showered, brushed his teeth, and got ready for the day, it was nearly 7:15am. Breakfast was being served right now, so he still had time to meet everyone in the dining hall so he could get his morning fill. He definitely knew he needed it if he wanted to focus on what Magnus planned on teaching them.

 

    Alec’s feet slow in their pace at the reminder. Magnus. Here, in the Institute. It was an astonishing realization that he had somehow managed gain the favor of the High Warlock and actually have him as a guest in the Institute. In fact, as far as Alec knew, the Institute hasn’t even had a warlock inside its walls since the beginning of the war.

 

    Which was nearly 2000 years ago. 

 

    He can’t help but smile a little to himself. He really is making a new name for this generation of Shadowhunters.

 

    “Hey, Alec.” Isabelle greets when he sits down at their usual table, placing his tray down. “Sleep well?”

 

    Alec raises an eyebrow in response.

 

    “Guess not.” Jace snorts a little as he observes him. “You look like shit, man.”

 

    “Thanks for pointing it out, Jace.” Alec grits out as he cuts through his pancakes rather angrily.

 

    Normally, he loves pancakes. He  _ lives _ for pancake day at the Institute. But today, even the pancakes were at his mercy.

 

    Clary leans in, voice dropping down to a whisper, “Is it the insomnia again? I still have some of that Melatonin medicine. It seemed to work last time. I can give you some more, if you’d like?”

 

    He shows her a kind smile. “Thank you, Clary. It just seems that.. the weight of what’s going on is kinda getting to me, ya know?”

 

    Isabelle sighs and reaches across the table to squeeze his hand. “You’re so strong, Alec. You bare so much burden and responsibility on your shoulders due to being a leader. Honestly, I’m surprised you even get some sleep. I know I wouldn’t if I were in your shoes.”

 

    “That’s because Alec is a born leader.” Jace states matter-of-factually as he pops a strawberry in his mouth. “The best leader the Shadowhunters could ever deserve.”

 

    Alec shows a simpering smile at Jace, who returns it with a wink.

 

    “You’re doing great, sweetie.” Maryse reassures before pressing a kiss to his head. “Far better than I could’ve ever anticipated. You’ve grown so much over the years. Watching you break out of your shell and accept who you are… things were ugly at the beginning but you held your ground and kept your head held high. I’m so proud of you, my son.” She reaches up to move a strand of hair out of his eyes and smiles sweetly. “You continue to inspire me every day.”

 

    “Guys.” Alec huffs out and hangs his head a little, not wanting anyone to see his rosy cheeks and shy smile. He was never good with compliments and praise.

 

    “What do you think is going to happen?” Clary asks when things fall silent. “Do you think we’ll… have time to save the world from what’s going on?” At the silence that enveloped the table, she continues explaining her thoughts on the entire matter, “I mean, if Asmodeus is really behind what’s going on, we’re not tough enough to face a Greater Demons. Our numbers go down each day and everyone is losing faith to continue forward. I’m just… I’m  _ scared _ .”

 

    Reaching across the table, Jace takes her hand as he exhales deeply. “I know, Clary, I know… We’re all scared— _ I’m _ scared.” A pause. “I don’t honestly know what’s going to happen. The future is cloudy and I can’t seem to even get a hint of what it could hold. If this all gets worse, I… I don’t think we stand a chance. But I’m determined to continue fighting for that chance. I’m going to continue fighting until my last breathe—I’m going to continue fighting to save as many lives as I can.”

 

    “With Magnus here, I feel like we stand a chance.” Isabelle joins in quietly, staring down at her barely-touched plate. “He’s had experience with Edom, with Asmodei, and his father. He’s powerful and headstrong, and with him and his warlocks by our side,” she lifts her head to meet their gazes “I feel like our strength tripled tenfold.” 

 

    “He definitely is one mighty character.” Luke chuckles from his spot next to Maryse. “I’m quite curious to see what he has in store for us. I’m actually quite glad he’s willing to train us and seems invested on improving all of us, even though he really shouldn’t feel the need to.”

 

    “He didn’t say it directly, but I think he cares.” Simon surmised. “If he didn’t, he wouldn’t be willing to take the time to train us so we could fight better against a demon—if he  _ really _ hated Nephilims like us, then he wouldn’t even consider that obligation.”

 

    Alec tilted his head as he made a face, as if saying “fair point.”

 

    “How do you think everyone else is handling his presence?” Jace worries, eyebrows drawn together. “Some seem paranoid, like they think he’s secretly the enemy or something.”

 

    Alec’s head shot up. “I  _ know _ he’s not.” He dejects sternly. “I saw it in his eyes the first time I saw him. He seems to want to put an end to this as much as we do.”

 

    “Despite your winning speech yesterday, I don’t think most of them are as convinced to your cause as we are.” Clary says flatly. “Considering the history, a lot of them are still agreeing with the Clave.”

 

    “How many times do I have to say this?” Alec bemoans, reaching up to press a palm to his forehead. “ _Fuck_ the Clave and _fuck_ their superstitions. The warlocks back then were violent, yes, but as they should know by now, _things change._ _People change._ The future can hold opportunity. While the Clave decided to ignore their bigotry and make it even worse by _enslaving warlocks_ , the warlocks had spent many centuries to try to atone for what had happened.”

 

    Maryse pauses briefly, chewing on her lower lip. “I wonder if Magnus has ever been enslaved.” She wonders aloud and it quickly gathers all of their attention. “I mean, think about it. Magnus was one of the first warlocks to exist in the world. The conflict between the warlocks and Shadowhunters began shortly after that. Maybe he was… unlucky enough to get caught in the drift and maybe that’s… why he hates Nephilim’s so much.”

 

    “He doesn’t seem to hate Alec.” Simon grumbles. Alec nearly chokes on his orange juice.

 

    “It does kind of make sense.” Luke theorizes as he waves his fork around a bit. “He cut himself off from the world and instead remained in his own realm, he’s  _ never _ let any Shadowhunters on his land, he hides his identity from everyone, and he seems more paranoid being around us than the other way around.”

 

    Alec scowls down at his plate of pancakes, not liking the idea that any warlock had to endure being enslaved by the Clave. However, Luke does share a valid point. It would explain a lot.

 

    “Alright, enough grim talk.” Jace grunts as he stands up. “It’s about to be 8 any minute now and this conversation is really kicking my ass, so let’s just head out.”

 

* * *

 

 

    The training yard is a bit small, especially for nearly 75 Shadowhunters, but they managed to made it work. There’s a decently sized open area in the middle of the yard by the time every fits in, giving a good working area for whoever decided to take claim there.

 

    They all chatted amongst themselves while waiting for the warlocks to come join them. Alec was in a deep conversation with Isabelle and Jace—something about how to properly execute a Judo throw—when the movement catches his peripheral vision. He glances up and immediately cuts himself off mid-sentence at the sight of Magnus  _ strutting _ in with Catarina and Ragnor beside him. 

 

    That’s not what caused him to seized his conversation. No, no. 

 

    It was what Magnus was  _ wearing _ and the amount of  _ skin _ it showed.

 

    The rather bleak pair of dark sweats he wore and the plaid jacket he had tied around his waist wasn’t what caught his attention. It was the simple, yet rather exotic (if you had to ask Alec), black tank-top with fairly narrow straps that covered his shoulders. A plunging neckline that was deep enough that Alec could see the hint of abs. 

 

    Not just that but Magnus’ skin was beautifully sun-kissed and smooth, glistening from the lights above. He had a hefty build; thick arms, wide shoulders, taunt chest.

 

_     By the Angel, this guy is a walking wet-dream. _

 

    Magnus wasn’t wearing any jewelry—neck bare of all necklaces and hands empty of all rings—and it gave Alec the ability to fully appreciate the sharpness of Magnus’ collarbone, the curve of his neck and the bump of his Adams apple, the subtle veins lining up Magnus’ forearms and the way his strong hands grip on to his water bottle. 

 

    The sound of someone clearing their throat somewhere next to him had Alec jolting. He whips his around to the side only to flush at the sight of his siblings, along with Clary and Simon, eyeing him in amusement.

 

    “Shut up.” He quips in embarrassment, trying to pretend the redness on his cheeks weren’t there and that he was just undressing the High Warlock of Brooklyn with his eyes.

 

    “Good to see you’re still alive in there.” Jace teases as he bumps their shoulders together.

 

    Alec groans and pinches the bridge of his nose “Jace, now is not the time to make a jab at my sex life.”

 

    “Or lack thereof.” Isabelle jeers.

 

_     “Izzy!” _

 

    “Good morning everyone.” Magnus calls out, tossing a towel on to a table that someone had graciously set up. “Hope you all had a good night’s sleep and a healthy breakfast.” He turns around to face them, eyes scanning their faces, then takes a deep breathe before continuing. “I’m glad you all decided to come join me today. Before I really get started, what kind of fighting style are you all experienced with?”

 

    “There’s a bit of a variety.” Someone replies. Mikael. He’s the trainer of the Institute. “I teach them all sorts of fighting styles. Jujitsu, karate, kungfu, mixed martial arts, and so on.”

 

    Magnus hums, a bit pleased by this. “Well, that makes my job a little easier, I suppose. If you all were trained in one specific area, then we’d be here all day.”

 

    “How are you going to train us?” Clary asks, genuinely curious.

 

    He turns to her, eyebrows raised and light smile on his lips. “Oh, this will be the fun part, Biscuit. Though I highly doubt any of you would find it fun.” He lifts a hand to gesture at everyone around him. “In order to get a grasp on how you all fight, my first plan is to see how you all work together. As a team. So,” a brief pause, “I want you all to attack me.”

 

    Silence.

 

    “I’m sorry, what?” Jace lifts up a hand in a 'stop' motion, face scrunched up like he he can’t believe the words that fell out of Magnus’ mouth. “You want us to…  _ attack you _ ?”

 

    “All at once.” Magnus further adds “With their weapon of choice.”

 

    Jace scowls and shares a look of disbelief with Alec.

 

    “There’s  _ 75 Shadowhunters _ here” Maryse clarifies, “And you want  _ all of them _ to attack you at once?”

 

    Magnus nods. “Affirmative, Ms Lightwood.”

 

    There’s another moment of silence before Jace lets out a snort-like chuckle. “Man, this definitely is going to be fun.”

 

    Alec studies Magnus for another moment before he shifts his gaze over to Mikael, who is stunned in his place, and giving him a small nod. Mikael clears his throat and nods in return.

 

    “Alright.” He exhales. “You heard ‘em. All at once.”

 

[ mood  “only one king” by jung youth ]

 

    Magnus shifts his stance into a ready position as he eyes the Shadowhunters, who draw in closer with their chosen weapons—some with a bamboo staff, others with their actual battle weapons. His eyes dart from face to face and for a moment, there’s a still silence before, suddenly, movement. Lots of it. They all begin attacking Magnus head on with their weapons soaring through the air.

 

    To say that Alec is impressed is an understatement—he’s  _ terrified _ but impressed . While he stands back to observe, along with his mother and Luke, Clary and Jace, Simon and Isabelle, the other Shadowhunters are dueling Magnus with every ounce in them. However, Magnus downs them one by one and they’re quickly dropping like flies. His moves are swift, sharp, and calculated—he seems to know what move they’re going to make before they even make it. He’s two steps ahead and skill in every hit.

 

    “Holy shit” Jace gapes in awe “I don’t know whether to be scared or…  _ turned on _ .”

 

    Alec makes a noise in subtle agreement.

 

    “Honestly, same.” Simon muses.

 

    Magnus is flexible and graceful as he ties on acrobatic twists to his hits. From gliding off their backs to sliding beneath their parted legs in a front split (Alec refused to admit he nearly choked on his spit). Ducking, spinning, dancing around their fists and jabs, to bending back to dodge useless uppercuts. 

 

    Now, there stood only two Shadowhunters and Alec feels himself standing straighter at the sight of Underhill and Meredith. 

 

    “Oh this outta be good.” Jace snorts when he notices Meredith’s garrote.

 

    Magnus stares them down as they seem to hover, looking for an opportunity to strike. Meredith is the one to charge forward with her garrote ready. But Magnus is quicker. He shoots his hands up to block the garrote from coming anywhere near him. He uses the garotte to perform a two-handed grabbing parry against Meredith’s baton— _ where the hell did that come from? _ — that she had raised to strike his head, and immediately passes control of one end of the garrote to his other hand. He employs a stomp kick to the inside of her left knee, clears the garotte, then punches her in the face and stomach. Magnus then wraps the garrote around her neck and passes control of the weapon back to his left hand in order to dodge Underhill’s attack. With another grabbing parry with the garotte, Magnus jumps into the air and does Underhill’s grab and smash on him. Instead, he’s quick to wrap the wire of the garrote around Underhill’s wrist before slamming his knee into the male’s chest, sending all 3 tumbling to floor with a solid, rough slam.

 

    The group at the sidelines let out “ooh” in unison as their faces twisted into a grimace at the sound of their bodies slamming into the ground. Magnus shoots his head up and assess the sight in front of him. All of them were on the ground, groaning in pain. No one was left standing other than the small group at the side lines. Smirking a little, stands up and steps over the Underhill, who writhing in agony as he tries to undo the garrote around his wrist.

 

    “And now for the real fun.” Magnus grins as he approaches them before stopping some feet in front of them, hands gesturing out. “The Institute’s finest, standing in front of me. Care to join the fun or did my  _ little show _ make you run with your tail between your legs?”

 

    Alec lets the corner of his mouth lift up in a lopsided grin. He turns his head to look at the others beside him.

 

    “Look, I’ll even give you an advantage.” Magnus reaches into his pocket to pull out a blindfold. Alec’s eyebrows shoot up as he watches the warlock tie it around his eyes firmly.

 

    “Well?” Jace offers as he glances back at Alec.

 

“Well” Alec echoes “I think it’s about time you take on his challenge, Jace.”

 

    Magnus chuckles as he fixes his stance, honing in on his hearing as he hears their shoes scuffle against the ground as they draw in closer. “Guy or girl, just know that I don’t hit lightly. As you may have guessed.”

 

    His ears preen on the brief silence that follows before he hears a shift in the wind when someone lurches forward. But with a shift scissor head kick, he sends Luke flat to the floor with painful grunt. He turns his head when he hears more movement, taking a moment to listen to the shifts and swipes before he makes a move of his own. Magnus lifts his leg to fake a low kick before suddenly aiming high a Muay Thai question mark kick. When his foot connect with his opponents head—Isabelle, he reckons, upon hearing the sound of her whip cracking seconds ago—he hooks his ankle around the back of her neck and pulls. He tumbles with her to the ground, where puts her in a strong lock by wrapping his thighs around her upper torso, successfully trapping her arms behind her. He uses her whip to tie her wrists behind her back.

 

    “Damn it!” Isabelle grumbles as she yanks her confines once Magnus releases her. He rolls over to dodge a hit from Clary. The sound of one of her dual-swords screeching against the concrete was like nails on a chalkboard. He senses her lifting a leg to do a kick at his chest but he grapples on to her leg, shuffles forward a bit before swiftly kicking her other leg out from underneath her. She roughly hits the ground and coughs at the impact. Maryse goes down painfully quick, like Luke. She had moves for an jab but Magnus ducks underneath her arm and shoves his elbow into her chest. She’s winded in a mere second it makes it easy for him to do a kick to her stomach, sending her skidding across the ground. Magnus lets out a heavy breathe when there’s a pause. He grins a little to himself.

 

    “No Simon?” He gibed.

 

    There’s a snort in response. “Sorry, dude. I literally have  _ no idea _ how to fight. So to spar against you would be  _ severely useless _ on my end.”

 

    Magnus lets out a small noise in mock disappointment. “Shame. Guess it’s now up to these two.” He lifts an arm to gesture towards the direction in which Alec and Jace were. “The parabatais.”

 

    “Guess so.” Jace smirked.

 

    The warlock turns his body to face them and rolls his shoulders. “See me what’cha got.”

 

    The reaction is immediate. The two launch at the same time and crowd into his space. Magnus evades each hit by leaning back and dodging left to right. He’s swift in his dodges as he dances around them before he finally is able to make some space when he leaps away from them. Magnus races forward in a mock charge before he changes tactics and ducks underneath Jace’s swipe punch. He slides between his parts legs and nails him right in the crotch. Jace lets out a wounded sound at the hit. Magnus stands up and yanks the blindfold off, spotting Alec meters in front of a crouching Jace aiming an arrow at him. For a brief moment, Magnus panics and he barely has time to dodge the arrow shooting at him. He races towards Jace and uses his acrobatic skills to vault off of Jace’s bent back, shooting his legs out towards Alec and, thankfully, he’s the right distance away for Magnus to lock him into a double-leg grapple of the neck. He uses his weight, and the force of gravity, to hook his ankles around Alec’s neck and yank him roughly to the floor. Alec hits hard, practically face first.

 

    “I did warn you.” Magnus pants when Alec winces at the smack. He looks up when he hears a sharp yell and lifts his arm to block Jace’s sword. He hisses as it digs into his skin, drawing blow, and uses short but sharp repetitive kicks to Jace’s legs to disorient him and make his balance waver. Jace stumbles backwards in an effort to evade the kicks but Magnus follows. Jace lifts his arm to throw another punch but Magnus blocks it by wrapping arm around Jace’s and grasping a strong hand at his elbow. Jace grunts a bit and lifts his other arm, which had the sword, but Magnus repeats the same action and it causes him to lose his grip on the weapon. It clings noisily on to the ground just as Magnus sharply shoves forward for a rough headbutt. Jace grunts at the impact and stumbles back, dizzy and disoriented.

 

    A scuffle behind him has Magnus turning around swiftly, and just in time to dodge a sudden jab of Alec’s bow. It would smacked him right between his eyes if he hadn’t leaned back.

 

    “You’re a quick one, I’ll give you that.” Magnus acknowledged with a grin. He grabs the bow and the next thing Alec knows, he’s in a choke-hold with his own weapon and Magnus is pressed tight at his back. 

 

    “But not as quick as me, darling.” Magnus’ breathe is hot against his ear and he could feel the wisp of Magnus’ lips against his skin. Alec moves to give an elbow jab to Magnus’ stomach but much to his dislike, Magnus pins his arm to his back effortlessly. But then, suddenly, there’s a sharp cry and the hold and precious behind him is gone. Coughing, Alec stumbles forward to grab his discarded bow that had dropped to the ground and whips around. Jace is one a knee, looking triumphant as he pulls his arm back. He must’ve snuck up on Magnus and dismembered him with a powerful punch to the leg.

 

    However, the smug look is quickly swiped off of his face when he sees Magnus is in clear pain on the ground and immediately knows something’s wrong. But when he stands to access the damage, Ragnor is in front of him in a blink of an eye with two swords at Jace’s throat in an X formation.

 

    “Whoa, whoa—hey!” Jace exclaims, holding his hands up surrender. Catarina is at Magnus’ side in a second, her hands glowing a powdery blue as she hovers them above his thigh. Alec drops his bow and rushes over to Ragnor.

 

    “Stand down, please!” He begs, placing a cautious hand on the warlock’s shoulder. “It was an accident, he didn’t mean to him.”

 

    “I really didn’t!” Jace blubbers in panic when Ragnar's glare hardens. “I don’t even know what happened man!”

 

    “Ragnor, enough!” Magnus manages to grit out. “Stand down.”

 

    Ragnor lingers for a moment before he yanks his swords away. Jace lets out a breath of relief and touches his throat. Alec takes off his quiver and throws it to the ground before he races to Magnus, kneeling down at the other side of him. He frowns at the sight. There’s beads of sweat on Magnus’ forehead and temples—from the pain, most likely, and he’s squeezing his eyes shut, arching his back a little. His breathing pattern is alternating between quick but jagged intakes and quiet whimpers.

 

    “What happened?” Alec rushes out and, without even thinking, he reaches to grab one of Magnus’ trembling hands to hold it in his. “What’s wrong?”

 

    Catarina doesn’t answer at first. “It’s… an old wound.” She provides quietly. “It’s been many centuries but… it still does a number on him.” She removes her hands with a deep breathe. “I’ve done the best I could but the blow was directly in the center of the wound and now it’s strained.”

 

    “I-I’m so sorry.” Jace quickly apologizes, guilt laced on his face. “I had no idea, I’m…”

 

    Magnus lets out a heavy breathe and opens one of his eyes to look up at him. “How could you have known, Nephilim?” He asked, his voice void of any menace. “It was  _ centuries _ ago.”

 

    “Here, help me get him towards that bench, Alec.” Catarina motioned. Alec nods and lets go of his hand—which he just noticed Magnus was squeezing the hell out of. He wraps Magnus’ arm around his neck, and Catarina does the same on the other side, and they both lift him up off of the ground.

 

    “I know, I know.” Catarina comforts when Magnus lets out a near sob at the shift. “You’re okay. You just gotta sit down and relax.”

 

    They guide Magnus carefully over to the bench before gingerly placing him down on to it. By now, everyone was surrounding them with looks of confusion and alarm. Alec glances down and notices something that has him pausing. The hint of a thin jagged scar peeking out from the hem of Magnus’ shorts. Drawing his eyebrows together, Alec slowly knelt down in front of him and reaches up towards his shorts when a hand shot out to snatch his wrist before he could. Alec peers up to notice Magnus staring down at him. They look into each others eyes for a few seconds before Magnus glances away, a muscle in his jaw tensing, though he doesn’t release his hold on Alec’s wrist. To continue this silent communication, Alec raises his free hand to place it on top of the hand gripping his wrist, gently running his thumb across Magnus’ knuckles. The contact has Magnus relaxing his tense muscles. He closes his eyes and slowly takes a deep breath.

 

    “It was… I was a bit young when it happened” he starts “Still naive to my own strength. My father, he… he was training me. Trying to get me to master my magic in his own  _ twisted _ ways.” His voice shakes a little and he squeezes his eyes shut. Alec manages to free his wrist but now holds Magnus’ hand in both of his. “He made me… torture people. Innocent mundanes. He tried to toughen me up, tried to get rid of my gentle-heart, as he had said… But then one day, he brought in an animal. This—this tiny little black kitten. It just sat there, shaking, staring up at me with its big golden eyes and I just… I just  _ couldn’t _ .”

 

    Alec squeezes his hand and Magnus opens his eyes in response. There’s some tears glittering there as he gazes distantly down at their joined hands.

 

    “Then I realized the more I stared at this cat, the more I felt like I was gazing into a mirror. I felt like I was looking at myself and then I noticed something… this cat—it had the same eyes as me and when I refused to hurt it, my father got angry.”

 

    There’s a pause before Magnus is looking up into Alec’s eyes. “This is what happens when you against a Greater Demon.”

 

    Alec frowns at him before looking down at thigh, eyeing the hint of the scar lingering there. Slowly, he lets go of Magnus’ hand places gently hands on his knee instead, making sure to keep his touch nimble and slow as he glides his hands up Magnus’ thigh (he fails to notice the hitch of breath at his touch and the gaze that remained on his face). As his hands venture further up, they manage to catch on to the hem of Magnus’ shorts and drag them up as well. Alec removes one of his hand to hold the hem up so he could properly see the scar. It was large, taking up a good chunk of Magnus’ thigh. There’s a large irregular circle in the middle of the scar and Alec immediately recognizes that it must’ve been an entry point. From the circle, there’s jagged and shifty lines shooting outwards, all of different lengths and girths.

 

    “It looks like…a lightning bolt.” Alec trails off.

 

    “Because it is.” Magnus confirms softly. “Asmodeus, he… if he concentrates his power enough, he can summon and create demonic lightning. He shot a bolt at me and it hit me right there, rendering me completely helpless… It was the worst pain I’ve ever felt—like a piece of my soul was getting ripped from me. The hit had blocked my magic off completely for 5 months. I was barely even able to walk. He kicked me out of Edom shortly after that. But, I was defenseless and was promptly captured by the Clave.”

 

    At this, Jace exchanges a glance with Clary as they both recall the conversation at breakfast.

 

    “So that’s why you taught them.” Alec realizes. He lifts his head to peer up at him. “That’s why you implemented to use your magic as a secondary strength, to instead teach your people how to fight in combat in case they were stuck in a similar situation.”

 

    Magnus nods slowly and looks away from his hazel eyes. There’s silence that follows after that but Alec finds himself unable to pull away. So he glances back down at the scar and carefully flattens his palm against the center of it. This time, he does catch Magnus’ breath hitching. The warlock reaches down to grip on to his wrist once again, but gentler this time. Alec raises head to look up at Magnus, who refuses to look back at him.

 

    “Magnus.” He calls out. “Magnus, look at me.” Alec reaches up and boldly cups Magnus’ cheek to gently turn his head.  _ “Look at me.” _

 

    Relenting, Magnus slowly slants his gaze so his eyes could meet Alec’s.

 

    “It’s alright now.” Alec’s voice was soft. A tone that Magnus never once had experienced until now and it stunned him. “You’re a strong person. You survived his attack, you survived the Clave. And this scar—” hand still placed on the scar, he runs his thumb gently across it and Magnus gasps quietly at the sensation “—proves it.”

 

    Alec shifts forward a little and drops his down a bit to a more serious tilt. “You’re safe now.”

 

    It’s such simple words. 3 simple words that shouldn’t have affected Magnus at all. But impacted him more than expected and Magnus felt himself choking up a bit. From Alec’s coaxing voice, his warm hazel eyes, and the comforting feeling of his touch, Magnus felt like he was actually being looked at, being  _ seen _ , by someone.

 

    Magnus feels the tears build in his eyes but he refuses to let any of them fall. His shoulders slump as he presses his cheek into Alec’s palm, seeking out his comforting touch. 

 

    And for the first time in centuries, he feels one of his walls crumble to dust.

 

* * *

 

    Alec had insisted that the training session was over but Magnus countered with “there’s a lot to be taught.” Of course he wasn’t in any shape to teach, so he laid the job with his two Warlock-Knights, who were more than happy to whip the Shadowhunters into shape. With the help of Jace and Alec, the two helped—more like  _ carried _ —Magnus back to his assigned room in the Institute. Magnus was silent the entire way and Alec knew he was most likely embarrassed from having to be treated like this, but he wasn’t voicing any objections. He seemed a little surprised by their willingness to help him, to make sure he was comfortable and relaxed in his bed before they finally decided to leave.

 

    Not before Alec made sure his leg was elevated and he had a cooling/heating pad setup next to him on a side table that he pulled up, along with a water bottle or two. Magnus was perplexed but his eyes were warm with sincerity when he quietly thanked the two of them before promptly reassuring Jace, who was still guilty about causing this, that it was alright.

 

    They spent the rest of their afternoon in the training grounds as Catarina and Ragnor taught them several offensive moves and different ways to block. After all, “the key thing to not letting an Asmodei’s claws nick you, is to make sure you don’t let the thing come near you.”

 

    During the lessons, Alec and Mikael allowed Shadowhunters to switch out for breaks every now and then. The training was brutal and they all knew they’d wake up sore in the morning. But now, observing all of them as the Warlocks finally concluded their lessons (for today, at least), Alec notices he sees fire in their eyes; something akin to excitement as they left the training grounds.

 

    Deciding it’d be best to take a quick shower and change into some dry clothes, Alec dismisses himself from the ops room in favor of retreating back to his office, where his bedroom was attached. Another most recent touch that Ragnor had applied.

 

    “It makes no sense.” Ragnor had huffed. “Your office and bedroom are right by each other. It’s pointless to leave one room just to go next door—so, here, lemme fix that for you.”

 

    Not only did Ragnor attach the two rooms together, deleting the wall that separated them, he also remodeled the entire area. It had a rather modern and sleek touch with black and white marble checkered floors that were so shiny, Alec was sure he could ice-skate across it in his softest socks if he really wanted to. 

 

    There was also a touch of something Gothic— _ ”you’re tall, dark, and handsome, so this little touch of goth suits you _ ”—and it definitely showed in the intricately designed     doorway that lead to Alec’s master bedroom.

 

    In his office alone, there was a sleek black desk in the middle of it with his computer monitor setup, along with all of his other personal belongings there as well. His office chair was simple, and originally looked uncomfortable until Alec sat down in it and nearly passed out. It was split in two different colors that matched the theme of the room; black and white. On the other side of the desk were two dark grey chairs, set there for any visitor that came in. Off to the side of the room was a set of 3 matching dark grey loveseats. One of them had a black and grey blanket thrown neatly over the arm while all of them had at least 2 decorative pillows. Set right next to the chair with the blanket was a standing lamp and the beautifully designed, midnight black Victorian entrance with double doors (that only opened up to Alec’s fingerprint) that opened up to his bedroom. The first thing to see once the doors were opened was the large King sized bed with a tall but marvelously crafted headboard that had two attached lamps on both sides of the bed. Placed in front of the bed was this large round thick cushion that Alec wasn’t really what the purpose of it was, but it was big enough for him to comfortably lounge on with his back against his bed as he leisurely read a book or two. One one side of the room was nothing but bookcases lined up, each shelf filled with different kinds and sizes of books—all of them belonging to Alec, of course, he was definitely a book geek deep down and just recently discovered the intriguing world of Harry Potter thanks to Simon. There was also a small but spacious walk-in closet where there was a dresser and some hanging space.

 

    Ragnor also was kind enough to add a decently sized full bathroom in his room as well with a walk-in shower and a tub that looked like a freaking Jacuzzi. Seeing it made Alec want to lay in there for hours with a cup of wine and bask in the view the large window provided next to it.

 

    The entire space definitely said “Head of the Institute” and Alec couldn’t help but feel a little smug about it.

 

    He took a quick shower and scrubbed the sweat off of him, though he had an idea that it’d be useless—he  _ is _ a Shadowhunter, after all, and more than likely he’ll get some sort of mission later on that actually required  _ work _ .

 

    So when he finished getting dressed and walked into the ops room only to get greeted by the alarm going off and RED ALERT displayed on all screens, Alec can’t help but sigh to himself.

 

    “There’s a demon.” Isabelle explains when Alec approaches the table that they’re all surrounding. “Somehow, it broke past security and is now in the Institute.”

 

    “It clearly possessed someone in order to gain access in here.” Alec sighs as his eyes scan the 3D layout that his sister pulled up. “Do we have any idea who is possessed?”

 

    “That’s the thing.” Clary hesitates. “The way we found out was just a few moments ago, when he attacked another Shadowhunter and punched through their chest.”

 

    Alec grimaces a little. “Who is it and where are they now?”

 

    There was a pause before Isabelle pulls up Underhill’s profile. Alec froze.

 

    “Alec.” Luke calls out softly, reaching up to touch his elbow. “I know it’s familiar face, but we’ve got an issue—Underhill was last seen in the guest dormitory wing of the Institute.”

 

    “So?” Alec croaks out after a moment. Luke raises his eyebrows with a “think about it” look. It takes Alec barely a second to realize.

 

    “Magnus.”

 

    They immediately bolt out of the ops room, and along the way running into Ragnor who was rushing there to notify them that Underhill had broken into Magnus’ suite.

 

    “15 minutes!” Jace bellows as they run through the halls. “Underhill leaves the Institute for  _ 15 fucking minutes _ and this happens!”

 

    “Why is he going after Magnus?” Simon pants as they slide around a sharp corner before bolting up a flight of stairs. Ragnor would’ve portaled them up to Magnus’ room but the demon was a bit more powerful than they bargained for and seemed to place a barrier around the room, blocking any magic coming in or out of it.

 

    Which rendered Magnus even more vulnerable.

 

    “Possessing demons are picky in their choice of victims” Ragnor begins “Once they find a suitable host to possess, they tap into their insecurity or fear. If they have none, they figure out who they deem as a threat. It could be that Underhill fears Magnus or deems him as a threat because he’s a warlock, or,” a brief pause as they turned the final corner that led to Magnus’ room “he didn’t like the way you two were looking at each other in the training grounds earlier.”

 

“He has  _ no right _ being jealous!” Jace fumes. “Now is  _ not _ the time to be jealous!”

 

    “Agreed.” Alec gruffs out as he skids to a stop in front of the door, which was destroyed and barely hanging on. He observes the barely visible barrier that stood in front of it but he was more concerned with the gruff noises and bangs coming in from the room.

 

    “Can we enter?” Alec inquires. Ragnor steps forward to assess the barrier before nodding, mumbling something creating a hole in the barrier long enough for them to enter. Once he created an entrance, they all bolted into the room and spotted Catarina doing her best to restrain Underhill without actually hurting him. Magnus was on the ground some feet away, a little battered and bleeding from a gash on his forehead but alive nonetheless.

 

    “‘Bout time you idiots showed up!” Catarina barked as she shoved Underhill down to the ground. Alec rushes over to Magnus and bents down, his eyes scanning Magnus’ figure to see if there were any serious injuries.

 

    “I’m fine, Alexander.” Magnus breathes, placing a hand on his shoulder. “I may be a bit crippled at the moment but that doesn’t mean I’m  _ completely _ useless.”

 

    “What do we do?!” Jace shouts as they all surround Underhill, whose eyes were completely black as his lips curled back in a menacing snarl. “Can kill him? By the Angel, Alec,  _ please _ let me kill him—”

 

    “—No, don’t!” Magnus quickly pleas. “The demon, it... it said something about my father.” Alec scowls and shares a guarded glance with his siblings. 

 

    “We need the demon alive” commanded Alec “Ragnor, see if you can break the barrier around the room.” The warlock nods and leaves the room. “Clary, once the barrier is down, you know what to do.”

 

    With a determined look, the redhead nods firmly. Underhill chuckles darkly, tilting his head to the side.

 

    “This one is particularly interesting.” He purred, his voice laced with a demonic growl. “He feels something immense, especially towards you, Alec Lightwood.” Alec tightens his jaw and slowly stands up, seeing Magnus glance at him at in peripheral vision. “He seems to feel.. Hm, guilty for what he did.”

 

    “Doesn’t change anything.” Alec growls.

 

    Underhill grins at him. “He still hopes you feel the same about him, but then  _ he _ came along” he tilts his head to turn his attention to Magnus “and now he feels threatened.”

 

    “Enough.” Luke steps forward, eyes flashing green. “We don’t have time for chit-chat.”

 

    The demon grins even more at him before it begins dodging blows aimed at him by the people surrounding it. It laughed at every attempt, at every body that slammed into the ground. Alec stays firmly in front of Magnus, eyes scanning every move the demon makes. He can’t help but notice that it seems to be trying to create a path. Alec turns his head to glance back at Magnus briefly before he looks back, frown adorning his lips.

 

    It seemed adamant on getting to Magnus.

 

    A painful yell filled his ears and Alec gasped as he watched Jace crumble to the ground when the demon lashed out with its claws. Clary yells for Jace in worry and immediately goes to his side. Growing angry at the sight of ugly wound on Jace’s thigh, and the demon ichor misting out of it, Alec grabs an arrow from his quiver and lets it fly without a beat of hesitation. The demon screeches in agony when the arrow hits its shoulder. It whips around to glare at Alec, who readies another arrow and aims it at him. Underhill growls quietly and yanks the arrow out.

 

_     "Kali norn shirak!"  _ It chants before ducking down to dodge Luke’s swipe.  _ "Kyrnawi boli gadurm du!"  _ The arrow suddenly pulses with an angry hue before settling back into its normal color. Then, with a grin, the demon hurts the arrow in Alec’s direction and it moves so quickly, cutting through the air like a knife through butter, that Alec barely has time to dodge it. He hears the arrow smack into the wall somewhere behind him but doesn’t bother turning to check as he straightens his body.

 

    “You missed.” Alec taunts with a small smirk.

 

    “Did I?” The demon mocks in response. The smirk on Alec’s face falls slowly as he watches the blackness from Underhill’s eyes suddenly disappear. Underhill stumbles a little and looks around, alarmed and terrified at the sight of the armed Shadowhunters around him and the destroyed room their in.

 

    “Where am I?” Underhill quavered. Ragnor rushes in, eyes wide, after finally being able to break the barrier. 

 

    “What happened?” Isabelle asks in confusion. “I don’t understand.”

 

    It took a few seconds of silence before Alec’s mind clicks.

 

    The arrow.

 

    He hears some movement coming from behind him and he could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. His stomach churns but he forces himself to slowly turn around. His instincts were right—the arrow didn’t hit either of them and had landed in the wall. However, it was directly above Magnus’ head. It missed him by a few centimeters.

 

    “Magnus?” Alec calls out gently and goes to step towards him when Catarina appears beside him, holding her arm out to stop him. He’s confused for a moment but one look at Catarina’s terrified expression tells him that he shouldn’t go near Magnus.

 

    A chuckle draws Alec’s attention back towards Magnus when he suddenly feels all of the oxygen abruptly leave his lungs.

 

    “Silly Nephilims.” The demon inside Magnus’ body sneers as it raises its head to stare up at them with black eyes. “You’re never prepared for a fight against a demon, are you? So weak you couldn’t even predict the spell I used on your own arrow, Lightwood.”

 

    “By the Angel.” Clary gasps.

 

    The demon hums and leans back on its heels, raising Magnus’ hands up to inspect them. “This one feels…  _ powerful _ .” It purrs in pleasure. “Mmh, I could kill all of you in a snap of his fingers if I really wanted to. Surprising that you decided to welcome a Warlock this powerful in your  _ precious little _ Institute. Can you possibly comprehend the amount of devastation he could cause?”

 

    “What do you want, demon?” Isabelle hisses. “Why did you come here?”

 

    The demon looks up at her, raising an eyebrow. “Isn’t it obvious?” It chimes, gesturing to Magnus’ body. “I came here for the Warlock.”

 

_     “Why?” _ Alec demands angrily, shoving Catarina’s arm out of the way in favor of stepping forward. “Why Magnus?”

 

    “You seem to be quite fond of him.” The demon observes with small grin. “And he seems quite a bit apprehensive about you, Nephilim. But it’s a love story I’m not willing to take part in. So, if you don’t mind,” the demon stands without even a wince from the wound on Magnus’ leg “I have a Greater Demon to kill.”

 

    “Greater Demon?” Simon pips up in alarm. “You mean Asmodeus?”

 

    The demon regards the Daylighter with a dead look. “Yes, you ignorant fool, I mean Asmodeus. _This_ Warlock here is the only one powerful enough to kill him.”

 

    “So that means Asmodeus really is the one behind the uprising.” Clary says slowly in realization.

 

    “No, actually, he isn’t.” The demon denies swiftly before pausing. It seems to consider something before speaking again, “Well, at least, not completely. He is involved but he’s sort of standing in the way.”

 

    Alec scowls and grips the bow at his side, hands shaking as the demons grins at him.

 

    “Besides, I doubt any of you would be willing enough to hurt my rather attractive host, now would you?”

 

    Alec tenses, growing more angrier by the second. He stares the demon down before opening his mouth to speak when sudden, rushed footsteps barge into the room.

 

    “No, but I am.” Rafael quips as he shoots past Alec in his vampiric speed. The demon has a split second to react before the vampire presses a hand to its forehead and hisses out some kind of chant in a language no one recognizes. The demon cries out in agony before dropping down to the ground in a heap of limbs. Rafael stands firm above it, face twisted in anger, and only steps closer when the demon shifts. Only when it lifts its head, Magnus is the one blearily blinking up at him in confusion.

 

    “Rafael..?” He murmurs. Instead of answering, Rafael reaches down to place his hand on Magnus’ forehead once again, making sure to look the warlock deep in the eyes before he incantos him to close his eyes and sleep. Magnus slumps to the floor as his eyes slip closed, automatically falling into a deep slumber. Rafael turns slowly to face the others, shoulders squared in tension as he meets their bewildered gazes.

 

    “Rafael.” Catarina murmurs as she steps forward. “It’s so good to see you.” Rafael relaxes at the sight of her and opens her arms to welcome her in a tight hug. Ragnor is the next to swoop in for a squeezing embrace.

 

    “I’m sorry, but,” Jace gestures at the wound on his thigh, “demon ichor infested wound—and am I the only one wondering  _ what the fuck _ just happened?”

 

    “Rafael, you…” Simon steps forward with wide eyes. “You knew Magnus? All along?”

 

    Rafael seems stiff for a moment before he sighs “He raised me.” He reveals softly. “When I got turned as a teenager, he took me in. He raised me like a son. The only reason I didn’t tell you because it wasn’t my secret to keep. I wanted my father to choose, not me.”

 

    Simon lets out sound that’s a mix between surprise and wounded. Alec secures his bow on his back before he moves towards Magnus’ slumped form. He bends down and slips an arm underneath Magnus’ knees and the other around his back, pulling him towards his chest as he stands up.

 

    “Now what?” He whispers when he looks up at Rafael. “What do we do now?”

 

    “I advise to keep him in your most powerful holding cell.” Rafael cautions. “Keep him locked up there while we find a way to safely exorcise the demon out without hurting him.”

 

    “Is that even possible?” Clary asks as she helps Jace up into a sitting position. “Can you do that?”

 

    Rafael turns to look at her, nods softly, then, “It’ll take immense concentration and strength, but with the help of Catarina and Ragnor, I believe we can pull it off.”

 

    “But first,” Ragnor cuts in with a raised hand, his tense eyes staring at Magnus “we need to question the demon about Asmodeus. It seems to know what’s going on and who is leading the uprising. We need to find out. Keep him well restrained but, I highly doubt the demon will be willing to explain what’s going on. Which will lead us to another proposition…”

 

    “Which is?” Luke drawls.

 

    There’s some seconds of apprehensive silence as the two warlocks glance between themselves and Rafael.

 

    Catarina is the one to break the silence. “Before we came here, Magnus gave us strict instructions.” she begins hesitantly. “He knew that by leaving his realm, he’ll be walking around with a target on his back. So… he told us that if something like this ever happened, then we must get as much information out of the demon as possible. No matter the cost.”

 

    There’s another brief stretch of silence before she adds, “He instructed us to use the Agony rune.”

 

    “What?” Alec exclaims. “Why?”

 

    “The agony rune will torment the demon, however it’ll also spark unwanted memories of Magnus.” Ragnor considered with a grimace. “He knows this, and is fully prepared for it if it means we gain an advantage. In order to break the demon, we need to dig around in its head.”

 

    “But when we dealt with this kind of demon before, it didn’t let us!” Isabelle counters. “We could barely see into their head—it was constricting its memory from us!”

 

    “That’s true but may I remind you that you have two of Magnus’ most powerful Warlocks in our aid.” Rafael interjects with a gesture towards them. “I’m sure Magnus taught them how to work around a demon’s barrier.”

 

    At this, both Warlocks dip their heads in an affirming nod.

 

    “This will be a painful trial for Magnus.” Rafael laments. “But he knew this would happen, and came prepared. We  _ must _ do this.”

 

    Alec hovers as he weighs his options. His hazel eyes dart between Rafael, the two warlocks, and his friends before they finally land on Magnus’ unconscious form in his arms. He lets out a deep sigh as he closes his eyes.

 

    “If this is the only way,” he mumbled, “then we’ll begin preparations.”

 

    “We’ll need to gather some simple ingredients, but they’re in Magnus’ realm.” Catarina announces after a beat of silence, a silence where everyone gathers themselves to accept what’s going to happen soon. 

 

    “It’ll take us a little bit, but it’ll buy you enough time to gather information from the demon. Just one more thing, Alec.” She walks forward to place a gentle hand on his shoulder. “The demon will taunt you. It knows Magnus is close to most of us and will use that as an advantage to create a wedge.  _ Don’t _ let the demon win, alright? Don’t let it get to your head, no matter what it says.”

 

    Alec nods quietly. Catarina squeezes his shoulder before she turns to Ragnor, who was bent down beside Jace taking care of the wound on his leg. He just finished taking the ichor out and closing the gashes when she approaches him. Ragnor glances up at her before he stands, giving her a nod. She then lifts her hand and flicks her wrist. Immediately, a vortex rips through the air in front of them, spiraling the air around in the room. Before they both disappeared through the portal, Catarina turns to give one message before her departure.

 

    “Good luck.”

 

    “You too.” Simon responds. She sends him a tight lipped smile before turning around. And then a second later, the portal closes behind her.

 

* * *

 

[ mood ↺ “deep end” by ruelle ]

 

    They’re all standing in front of the glass in silence, each with an unreadable expression on their face as they stare at Magnus, who was fully strapped in and confined in the cell. With his body tied firmly down to the chair, to his arms firmly tied behind him with rough rope and a pair of magic-rendering cuffs around his wrists as a precaution. The cell was already anti-magic proof, inside and out, and it was like a prison for a warlock like Magnus.

 

    “I hate seeing him like this.” Rafael whispers as he watches Magnus, now fully conscious and, unfortunately, still possessed, struggle against the bindings to no avail. Finally giving up after a whole hour of struggling, the demon sighs and slumps its chair, gritting its teeth in frustration. It looks up and meets their eyes through the thin shield of glass before yanking roughly on the rope. Alec has to look away when he notices how the rope was digging so deep into Magnus’ arms, that blood was now trickling down them and dropping on the floor.

 

_     "Miopiar maldifidii moiparran ne!"  _ The demon yells angrily. They know it’s not a spell or sorts, for the demon’s been yelling this since it woke and nothing has happened, and is just simply cursing them in its native language. Whatever language it may be.

 

    “When do you think we should begin?” Jace asks tentatively. “We can’t keep avoiding it.”

 

    “I know.” Alec grits out only to close his eyes, take a deep breathe, and repeat “I know” in a considerably gentler voice.

 

    There was a long stretch of silence. The only sound being heard was the curses the demon spit at them from the other side of the glass and the sounds of the chair groaning under the weight of its useless lunges at them.

 

    Taking a deep breathe, Alec gathers himself and tightens his shoulders before instructing them “Begin preparations for interrogation. Jace, go get some security just in case things get out of hand. If they do, do whatever you can to stop that demon—don’t let it leave the Institute.”

 

    Jace nods and squeezes his arm as he passes past him with quick steps.

 

    “Clary, I’m going to involve you in this. You recently drew a brand new rune correct? One that helps draw forth the truth?” Clary nods numbly. “Good. If the demon resists the agony rune, you’ll have to use that specific one on it as a last resort.”

 

    “Izzy,” he turns to his sister “that technique you used to trap Lilith in that cage when we summoned her, I need you to do the same thing around the demon. With Magnus’ strength in his palms, it can no doubt break the bonds once it fully grasps his power. We’ll need that barrier around it to stall him in case things to go south.”

 

    “Simon and Rafael, in case things go smoothly and we can get the information out quickly, we still need to stall him as long as possible until Catarina and Ragnor return. The more conscious it is,” Alec pauses and glances over at the still cursing demon “the more it’ll hurt Magnus’ body.”

 

    “We’ll incanto the demon to sleep.” Rafael reassures with a dip of his head. “No worries. We won’t let any more harm come to Magnus.”

 

    Alec shows them a soft smile. “Thank you” he breathes “Mom, in the meantime while we deal with this mess, can you look after the Institute? I need you to be my eyes and ears on what’s going on outside the Institute.”

 

    “I’ll help her in any way I can.” Luke rushes out. “It took a bit of convincing, but after hearing about the High Warlock making his first appearance in centuries, they’re eager to join in our aid.”

 

    “As is the Seelie Queen.” Meliorn voices as he strides towards them. They all turn to him in slight surprise. “She heard about the High Warlock stepping foot out of the comfort zone of his realm. She has offered an ultimatum.”

 

    “No, no, I don’t think so.” Alec clips sternly. “The Seelie Queen has shown no interest on the behalf of Brooklyn or Shadoworld since the defeat of Valentine and now suddenly, she wants to help? What could she  _ possibly _ offer us?”

 

    Meliorn raises an eyebrow. “She’s actually well acquainted with the High Warlock. Originally, they were sworn enemies before either of them came into their current positions. But after they were both enslaved by the Clave, they drew a bit closer. She hasn’t seen him in centuries after he cut himself off from the world once he escaped the Clave. She wishes to see him. But that’s the only thing she sent me here for.” He steps closer towards the glass to observe the demon, who had grown silent all of a sudden and is simply glaring at Meliorn. “She has a safe way of getting that vile thing out of him, however it’s more painful than your current method. She offers her aid if your way doesn’t go as planned.”

 

    Alec steps to his side, eyebrow raised. “And what is she asking for in return?”

 

    “What makes you think she wants something in return?”

 

    Alec doesn’t answer his question. He just stares Meliorn down with a stoic expression as he folds his arms across his chest.

 

    Meliorn sighs, lightly rolling his eyes. “She just wishes to see him, that is all. She will help if you if you allow them to reunite.”

 

    “You honestly expect me to believe that, after what’s done? I don’t trust her. She’s given no reason for us to.” Alec rejects. “Sorry, but that’ll be a no from the behalf of me and my Institute. Now if you don’t mind,” he gives the Seelie a sharp glare before he turns to begin heading for the door “we have a demon to exorcise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my brain: why are you working on a chapter for War of Hearts when you haven't even watched the latest episode to even begin the next chapter for More Than Words?
> 
> me: : )
> 
> my brain: ffs
> 
> This is what happens when I have more muse for one story than the other whoops I promise I'll work on the next update for More Than Words soon!
> 
> oh and here's a visual of alec's bedroom/office: https://i.imgur.com/okzoF1c.jpg


	4. picture perfect mask (it's just a lie)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Trying to write my perfect story  
> I'm working nights I'm working days  
> To prove the world that I am worthy  
> Of being seen of being praise  
> 'Cause I'm afraid to show the people who I am  
> I'm not special just a simple broken man  
> So I will hide my face with my picture perfect mask  
> This ain't life, no  
> It's just a lie"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me on Twitter @itsamalecthing for feedback/thoughts, if you'd like!
> 
> I will also be posting teasers for upcoming chapters and might even put up cryptic polls :) Don't be affraid to message me or tag me, I'll always be more than happy to respond! Thank you so much for reading!

    The hallway leading towards the holding cell was empty, still, and looming. But draw closer and one could hear it all, sense it all. The screams were so loud, that if one listened closely, even from a far distance, they could hear the tears in the poor soul’s eyes and taste it on their own tongue. The air leading to the foreboding door of the cell room was heavy and thick, and anyone who dared try to pass it could feel the hairs on the back of their necks stand on end. No one dared to even try to open the door to get a glimpse of what was going on inside. For not only was it quite guarded, but also because they chose to listen to their guts; maybe they wouldn’t like what they saw. Maybe it was just as terrifying as the screams bouncing off of the walls around them.

 

    They’ve been in the cell room for about 5 hours by now, though it seemed like a century. They watched the man before them, pitifully strapped and bound to the chair, scream and cry out in agony as a guard continues to ignite the Agony rune on his bicep for nearly 5 hours straight. With little to no avail. 

 

    The demon wasn’t answering any of their questions—but when it was actually talking, it was be spewing curses at them in its native tongue, a language none of them could decipher.

 

    Magnus was moved to the torture chair that was built with the same concept as the magic-binding cuffs holding his wrists down. His arms were strapped to the arms of the chair as well and his legs were tied with hefty rope of the metal legs. They set that double precautionary after hour 2 when the demon suddenly broke an arm free from its restraints and choked a nearby guard and also nailed Jace in the groin— _ “ _ **_again_ ** _ , with the nut shot?!”  _ —so they figured it’d be best to tie _every_ limb down.

 

    The demon’s eyes were alive with rage and fire as the torture continued. Beads of sweat dotted along Magnus’ forehead and temple, rolling down the sides of his face, and Alec couldn’t tell if it was out of pain or restrain at this point. But the only reason why Alec kept pressing the session further and longer was because even though the demon refused to talk, Alec could clearly see its resolve beginning to break.

 

    The guard lifts it steele away from the Agony rune and the demon slumps in the chair, chest heaving as it tries to catch its breath. With a hanging head and quaking shoulders, there’s a stretch of stillness before the demon staggers a little. It tries to lift its head but it’s as if it weighs a thousand pounds. Alec watches with the permanent stoic scowl on his face as the demon struggles to lift its head. But once it manages to lift its head, it sways a little; completely disoriented and dizzy. Eyes open and the sight of Magnus’ true chocolate eyes blinking blearily around has Alec nearly stumbling over himself.

 

    “Magnus!” He exclaims as he shoots forward. He moves past the guard, lifting a hand in a silent “stand back” command as he bends down in front of the warlock.

 

    “Magnus, is that you?”

 

    Magnus blinks several more times before he’s able to make out Alec’s concerned face in front of him and only then does he register the warmth of his palm against his cheek.

 

    “Alexander…”

 

    Some relief pooled into Alec’s features but it doesn’t last. A glimpse of guilt appears instead. “I’m sorry, this… this must be so painful.”

 

    Magnus glances down at the rune on his arms and emits a bitter chuckle before he slumps his head into Alec’s palm, eyes fluttering closed. “I signed up to do this willingly. I had a feeling that something was going to happen once I left the safety of my realm… It was inevitable, Alexander, don’t weigh the blame on your shoulders. You’ve already got enough on them.”

 

    “But that doesn’t mean you should bare the brink of everything else.” Alec insists. He raises his other hand to cup Magnus’ face, making the man open his eyes. “And it _doesn’t_ mean you should be going through with this. We can find another way—Catarina and Ragnor will be here any minute now, Clary has a Truth rune that she created—”

 

    “Alexander” Magnus cuts in and despite having his wrists confined, he manages to lift his hand up so his fingertips could brush against Alec’s elbow “This needs to be done. I’m not trying to be some sort of… martyr or anything, but if it’s the only way we can get more answers about what’s going on, then I will gladly put myself in this chair again.”

 

    A muscle in Alec’s jaw clenches and his fingertips dig a little into the flesh of Magnus’ tear-stained cheeks.

 

    “The demon isn’t telling us anything.” Isabelle sighs in frustration. “All it’s doing is yelling at us in some kind of language.”

 

    Without breaking eye contact with Alec, Magnus speaks “The demon _is_ yelling at you, that’s one thing you got correct. But that doesn’t mean it’s not talking.”

 

    Alec frowns a little more, if possible. “What do you mean?”

 

    A small smile tugs at Magnus’ lips. “The Agony rune is helping the demon’s grasp on my consciousness slip. Which allows me to appear right now before it resurfaces, but… even when it’s in control, I can hear what it’s saying.”

 

    “You know the language?” Alec coaxed. “You know what it’s saying?”

 

    “I do.” Magnus says quietly. “It’s giving me more pieces to the puzzles and I know I’m almost there—I just need one more piece, Alexander.  _ One more. _ Just one more.”

 

    Alec seems reluctant as he hovers hesitantly. But with a pained look from Magnus and a plea of “Please, Alexander…” Alec caves.

 

    With a sigh of defeat, Alec leans forward to press their foreheads together. Magnus closes his eyes slowly and swallows thickly, feeling more tears pool in his eyes at the rawness of Alec’s touch against his skin.

 

    “Just one.” Alec promises in a whisper. “Just one and  _ I swear _ I’ll break that fucking chair to get you out of it.”

 

    Magnus lets himself laugh softly. “Alexander Gideon Lightwood” he muses quietly “You continue to surprise me.”

 

    Alec’s not even a little surprised that Magnus knows his full name.

 

    Pulling his head back a little, Alec stares into Magnus’ eyes as he asks tentatively “In good ways, I hope?”

 

    The warlock doesn’t answer. He just stares back into Alec’s eyes and smiles softly at him. Alec can’t find it in himself to smile back, even just a little, and reluctantly pulls away. He takes a few steps back before he gives an approving nod to the guard. The blackness returns to Magnus’ eyes and his entire demeanor changes in a split second. The demon is back to hissing at him angrily in its native language as the guard draws closer with the steele at the ready.

 

    Alec has to turn around when the guard presses the tip of the steele at the rune, activating it and causing another curdling scream to ignite the room. He felt himself flinch at the sound and closes his eyes. Jace steps to his side and places a hand on his shoulder; a comforting pressure that Alec relaxes a little into.

 

    “Clary” Alec rasps out, “use the rune.”

 

    Clary nods and steps forward with her own steele while the guard moved away.

 

    “No, wait” the demons pleads breathlessly. But Clary ignores it. She draws the rune on her palm steadily before moving forward to shove her palm against the demon’s forehead. The demon cries out and goes rigid in the chair, muscles tensing and hands curling into tight fists.

 

    “By the name of Raziel, I compel you to tell the truth!” Clary declares.

 

    The demon hisses through the fiery pain and squeezes its eyes shut. “Asmodeus… did kill Joshua. But he did not kill Ashley nor did he destroy the shop.”

 

    “Then who did?” Jace demands.

 

    The demon resists and clamping its mouth shut as it squirms uselessly in the chair. Clary scowls and presses her palm harder against its forehead.

 

    “Answer the question, _demon.”_ She commands. _“Who did it?”_

 

    “Lucifer!” The demon cries out.

 

    Alec swiftly turns around at this, a look of alarm written on his arm.

 

    “Why did Lucifer kill Ashley and destroy the store?” Simon questions. “What was the point of going to that extra mile?”

 

    “Magnus is the only one powerful enough to defeat Lucifer.” The demon hisses through gritted teeth. “He wanted to make sure Magnus stayed in the dark about his appearance, so he tried severing the only way to contact him.”

 

    “Yeah, well, you can see how  _ that _ worked out.” Jace jabs.

 

    “Why did Asmodeus kill Joshua?” Rafael joins in. “Was it because he was trying to reach Magnus?”

 

    “No.” The demon grunts and opens its eyes to slant its eyes over in the vampire’s direction. “Asmodeus killed Joshua for _gain_ Magnus’ attention. He knew that even if Joshua did manage to contact him, then Magnus would most likely have no intention of stepping in.”

 

    “So I take it Lucifer is the one leading the uprising.” Isabelle breathes. “But what about Asmodeus? You said something earlier about him ‘being in the way’—what could you possibly mean by that?”

 

    The demon growls when Clary pressed down the rune harder. “Because Asmodeus is trying to protect his son, so Lucifer sent me to possess him to kill Asmodeus.”

 

    Alec steps forward and gestures for Clary to stop. She pulls her hand away and steps back, giving Alec the room he needs to slowly approach the exhausted demon.

 

    “Let me tell you something, _demon_ ” Alec bends down so they’re face to face “The only thing keeping me from plunging my Seraph blade through your skull is that that you’re possessing someone that is a symbol to everyone in this room. So I suggest,” he holds his hand out and accepts the small bottle of Holy Water from Rafael before continuing “that you better start telling the  _ whole _ story.”

 

    “Wait, wait!” The demon begs as it tries to lean away from Alec’s thumb, which was dipped in the liquid. “I will tell you if you that  _ vile _ liquid away from me!”

 

    “Only if you start talking!” Alec argued. “You’re tugging on my last string of patience.”

 

    The demon jerks when Alec moves his thumb closer to his forehead and quickly rambles out, “Okay—alright! Alright! I’ll talk! Look, Lucifer leading the uprising because he believes he laid dormant in Hell for long enough. He was caged there, his powers dry after being banished, but when Lilith tainted the ley lines with her demonic energy, it caused his cage to break. While his powers were still weak, he’s been spending a few months to regain them and instead unleashed Possessing Demons to get rid of the weak links before he begins releasing Asmodei then ultimately rising from Hell so he could continue what he started in Heaven.”

 

    Alec raises an eyebrow. “But?” He presses.

 

    The demon sighs, rolling its eyes. “ _ But _ Lucifer feels that Asmodeus is rebelling against his orders. The first ones to die was a good chunk of Asmodeus’ children. Asmodeus found out about Lucifer’s plan to kill his chosen son and has been leaving breadcrumbs in warnings towards Magnus in hopes that Magnus realizes and prepares himself for an inevitable battle.”

 

    “So Asmodeus has Madzie?” Rafael questions.

 

    “No one knows.” The demon huffs. “We believe Asmodeus took the young warlock and hid her somewhere untraceable before Lucifer locked Asmodeus away somewhere in Edom for his treachery.”

 

    “What about the items Ashley gave me before she died?” inquires Alec. “My office getting trashed with Madzie’s photo all over the place?”

 

    The demon gives him a dead look. “Breadcrumbs, you ignorant Nephilim.  _ Breadcrumbs. _ ”

 

    With a deep sigh, Alec pulls away from the demon and stands up. He lifts a hand to press his fingers into his forehead, gently rubbing the flesh there in slow soothing circles. There’s a headache coming.

 

    “Alright, I’ve had enough of this” He grumbles, handing Rafael the bottle of Holy Water. “I believe we got all the answers we need. For now.”

 

    “You know,” the demon purrs as it intently watches as Alec turns so he could start addressing everyone, “Magnus may be able to see into my head by now but I can also _perfectly_ see into his.” Whatever Alec was about to say silences and he clamps his mouth shut. “I can see when his father shot him with that demonic lightning of his. When he suffered at the hands of the Clave. When he escaped and closed himself off from the _entire world_ because he felt like everyone, and everything, was out to get him. Do you ever wonder why Magnus even created that realm of his? Why he made it a point to hide there all this time?”

 

    “Stop.” Alec’s voice was terse and tense, knuckles pearl white as his fists shake.

 

    But the demon only continues with a triumphant smirk. “He created that stupid realm of his because, well, if the world didn’t accept him, might as well create his own. You know what, I even see him at rooftops, contemplating his own death because he felt like happiness was something he’d never get to experience!”

 

    “Enough!” Alec booms in rage. He storms toward the demon and presses his seraph blade tightly against its throat, but that doesn’t seem to hinder or frighten the demon. For it laughs wildly.

 

    “You see,” the demon’s voice lowers considerably, as if its confiding in a secret “Magnus has spent his _whole life_ in isolation yet loneliness has always been his Achilles heel.”

 

    “That’s not your story to tell!” Alec fumes. “You have no business digging around his head.”

 

    Tilting its head, the demon put on an expression of mock innocence, lips puckering out in a pout. “Oh, but it’s okay for you Nephilim’s to torture me at _your_ bidding?”

 

    “Alec, let’s just go.” Jace exasperates. “Rafael can just incanto the damn thing to sleep.”

 

    Alec remains for a few more seconds, staring the demon down before he slowly pulls his weapon back. As much as the demon infuriates him, he doesn’t wish to harm Magnus even more than they already have. So he straightens his back, sheathes his blade, and sends a scowl of disdain down at the demon before he turns to leave the room. He doesn’t get very far, however, for a hand shoots out and roughly clamps down on his wrist.

 

    "Silly Nephilim.” The demon chuckles. Alec’s eyes widen as the demon yanks on its other arm, easily breaking the bonds like the first time. “Did you honestly think these things could hold me, much less the body I’m in?”

 

    “Alec!” Isabelle calls out. Alec moves to try to step away but the demon has a death grip on his wrist—yeah, that’ll definitely bruise by the morning.

 

    “Magnus not only has the power to completely disembark your whole “anti-magic” cell you got going here, but he has the power to turn your entire Institute into nothing but ash.” The demon pulls on its legs, freeing them as well. “You’re lucky I haven’t tapped into that power yet.”

 

    The demon stands up, completely freed now, and let’s go of Alec’s wrist. Alec quickly stumbles back and unglamours his quiver and bow. He quickly aims an arrow at the demon, who rolls its eyes as everyone else readies their weapons as well. The demon shoots them a “seriously?” look before swiping a hand from the left to the right and the next thing Alec knows, he’s flying through the air and breaking through the wall of glass. He lands a good distance and smacks _hard_ against the floor. Alec could faintly hear yelling but he couldn’t make out what they were saying—the ringing in his ears were too loud. His body was crippled in agony as he tried to move, hands pressing down into the bed of glass shards he’s currently laying on. With every movement he makes, he feels the shards dig into his body even more but he lets out a particular cry when his leg gives out, sending him back onto the floor before he could even properly lift himself up. Trying to blearily blink through the haze— _ hello concussion _ —he looks down his body to check for injuries and notices a giant shard sticking out of his thigh.

 

    “Fantastic.” He grunts, dropping his head back on to the ground. As his senses begin to come back to him and the ringing in his ears begin dying down, he’s able to make a sense of his surroundings. Alec jolts at the sounds of banging and shouting, violent and rough, and quickly whips his head in the direction of the source. He sees Clary pinned down by the gigantic metal door leading into the cell, unable to reach her steele that she had dropped in the mishap. Isabelle and Jace barely holding off the demon—which, while not fully grasping Magnus’ potential (thank the Angel), was still a fast little fucker. Simon has rushed over to Clary when he gets an opening and begins lifting the metal door off of her while Rafael watches the demon, fangs bared, to try to find an opening of his own.

 

    Isabelle slams to the ground and skids a good distance towards Alec, who immediately begins crawls towards her. He stops about halfway when Jace yells out as he’s thrown across the entire area, zooming past Alec and breaking through the entrance door. Alec turns his head to look back at the demon and barely surpasses a yell of his own when the demon suddenly is less than 2 inches in front of his face. The demon smirks at him and clamps a hand around Alec’s throat.

 

    “You wanna know what’s saying right now, Nephilim?” The demon confides in a whisper. Alec grabs on to its wrist, spinning the gears in his head to try to figure out his next move when his eyes catch on to the Agony rune on the demon’s upper arm.

 

    “He’s begging me not to hurt any of you. How sweet. Well, I guess he’ll just have to—”

 

    “Oh,  _ shut the fuck up. _ ” Alec snarls as he places his steele above the rune. It burns an angry red as the demon screams, promptly letting go Alec’s throat. Taking this moment to his advantage, Alec quickly moves. He immediately grabs a hold of the demon and drags it close so his chest was pressing up against Magnus’ back, arm around its neck in a tight choke-hold.

 

    “Rafael!” Alec shouts. “Now!”

 

    But before Rafael could come within 2 feet of where they were, Magnus’ body arches and Alec watches in shock as the demon exits Magnus’ body and hovers above him in a pitch black mist with red eyes. The mist conjugates until it’s able to make two distinct arms with talons for claws.

 

    The demons hisses as it extends his hand so fast to Alec’s throat, he barely has time to blink.  _ “You little—” _

 

    A hand shoots out and grabs on to the demon’s wrist—which Alec distantly thought would be slightly impossible because... _mist_ —and he could feel the tip of its talons brush against his Adams apple. Startled, the demon looks down only to go rigid at the sight of a very conscious, and _very angry_ , Magnus Bane glaring up at him with his signature cat eyes.

 

    “Playtime is over.” Magnus warns tersely as he moves out of Alec’s arms and stands up, surprisingly steady. The demon yanks its arm out from his hold with an angry screech. It lunges at Magnus but the warlock is the epitome of calm and collected as he watches the demon draw closer. Magnus lifts his arm up and delicately extends his index finger. The demon suddenly halts directly at the tip of his finger, eyes wide, and completely frozen.

 

    Tilting his head back a little so he could scowl in disdain, Magnus chants  _ “Nal idish kair xaquin pakliol. _ I hope the Hellhounds of Edom tear you to shreds.”

 

    With a gentle press of his fingertip against the demon’s forehead, he banishes the demon to Hell and it vanquishes in thin air without so much of a sound. But then there’s no sound following after it as everyone attempted to collect themselves. Magnus blinks once and his cat eyes are gone—Alec can’t help but be a little disappointed, he was so mesmerized at the sight of them. His eyes find Alec’s crippled form and they widen a little before he’s rushing over to bend down so he could inspect the glass shard embedded in his thigh.

 

[ mood ↺ “hurricane” by fleurie ]

 

    “Oh, you don’t need to—”

 

    Magnus cuts him off by raising a hand in his face, index finger pressed to his lips in a “silence” motion. He wraps other hand around the shard and allows Alec to take a deep breath before he harshly yanks it out. Alec had to bite down on to the inside of his cheek so he doesn’t scream.

 

    “Magnus” Alec frowns as he watches the warlock heal his wounds, noticing how Magnus was no longer calm and collected and steady anymore and was now trembling, looking like he was teetering on the brink of unconsciousness. 

 

    “Magnus, stop.”

 

    Magnus doesn’t listen but continues healing him until the wound heals. Alec could feel the shards of glass exiting his flesh and he could hear the barely audible sound they make as they fall to the floor. Taking a deep breathe to collect himself, Magnus is able to pull himself up to his feet and look around with a bleary focus. The room was a bit destroyed in their battle with the demon but Magnus can’t help but feel relieved when he spots all Shadowhunters alive and barely harmed.

 

    “Thank goodness.”

 

    Alec barely has time to jump to his feet and catch Magnus before he hits the floor. The warlock is trembling even more as he clutches on to Alec, fingers curling into the fabric on his biceps as he leans his entire body weight into Alec’s sturdy figure. Magnus was sobbing, he could tell by the quake in his shoulders, the quiet hiccups in his gasps, and wetness against his shoulder when Magnus presses his face into the junction of his neck.

 

    “It burns.” Magnus sobs quietly. “It burns…”

 

    Alec feels a tug at his heartstrings. Magnus looks so small, so vulnerable and broken in his arms as he leans into him, unable to stand up on his own unless he’s willing to crumble down to the floor, as he cries into his shoulder. He’s shattered now, showing a porcelain side of him that already had several cracks. 

 

    “It _burns_ … Make it stop…”

 

    Alec squeezes his eyes shut and holds Magnus even tighter to him before he carefully bends down to slip an arm underneath Magnus’ knees. He smoothly lifts Magnus up to his chest and presses him close, letting Magnus completely bury himself into him, hiding his face into Alec’s neck. Alec holds him tightly, protectively, and presses his cheek to Magnus’ forehead. He closes his eyes and listens as Magnus slowly succumbs to his own exhaustion, his sobs quieting down significantly to jagged hiccups.

 

    But before Magnus’ world gets surrounded by black, he swears he feels the wisp of Alec’s lips against his temple and his soothing voice whispering to him, “It’s alright now… You’re not alone anymore.”

 

    And for the second time, Magnus feels another one of his walls crumbling.

 

* * *

 

    “Well” Ragnor begins “guess we don’t need these trinkets anymore, now do we?”

 

    Alec doesn’t need to glance up to know what Ragnor was lifting up. The ingredients he and Catarina spent _9 hours_ retrieving only to portal back into the Institute to find Magnus unconscious in Alec’s arms.

 

    To say they were stupefied was an understatement.

 

    To see Magnus curled into Alec’s side, hands refusing to let go of his shirt for the past several hours despite not being conscious, looking battered and exhausted but alive and himself once again.

 

    “No.” Alec finally spoke after a moment as he raised his head. Half of his face was covered by the soft curls of Magnus’ hair. It tickled his nose but he didn’t care enough to move them out of the way yet.

 

    “But keep them anyways. You never know who is next. We may need those.”

 

    Ragnor pointed at him in a “touche” manner before he glances around Alec’s room. His eyes spot a safe that he had installed and moves over to it, deciding it’d be best to keep the items in there for now.

 

    “How is he?” Catarina asks quietly as she steps towards the side of the bed, hand reaching out to brush against Magnus’ forehead.

 

    Alec heaves a sigh “He’s as alright as he can be.” His answer was vague and by the look Catarina gave him, he knew he probably should explain what happened. “We went through with the… Agony rune. For 5 hours, the demon only kept cursing at us in his native language.”

 

    “Ancient demonic tongue.” Ragnor provides as he gently places the items into the safe before closing the hatch. “Only those who resided in Edom know of it. Otherwise, it’s indistinguishable.”

 

    “The more we used the rune, the more the demon’s grasp on Magnus’ consciousness weakened.” Alec continues as he lifts a hand to finally move the locks of hair away from his nose. “We finally hit a breakthrough and Magnus came through. He said he knew what the demon was saying and that he just needed ‘one more puzzle piece’ to complete the entire picture. We got the answers we were looking for, however…”

 

    Catarina raises an eyebrow at him when he pauses.

 

    “The demon was beginning to harness Magnus’ strength and easily broke the anti-magic binds it was  _ thoroughly _ strapped in.”

 

    Ragnor snorts in amusement as he moves to stand beside Catarina. “Not surprised. Your so called ‘anti magic cell’ is child’s play to him.”

 

    Alec made an exasperated look. “Duly noted,” he grumbles.

 

    “What happened? I assume he broke free?” Catarina patiently presses, frowning when she noticed the gashes on Magnus' arms from how deep the rope dug. She lifts her hand to hover her palm above them so she could heal them quickly. Alec nods.

 

    “Yeah, he broke free. Sent me through the glass panel, fought with everyone else, sent Jace flying across the room and through the door—the whole nine yards.” He explains with a few wild hand gestures. “When it tried to choke me, I managed to free myself. Rafael was going to incanto it to sleep but the demon suddenly left Magnus’ body. It was about to claw out my throat if Magnus didn’t spot it. Then, Magnus… I saw his cat-eyes.”

 

    The two warlocks share an unreadable look.

 

    “He, uh… just—he just pressed his fingertip to the demon’s head and banished it, I think, but… I wasn’t entirely too focused on that.” Alec pauses once more, voice growing softer. “His eyes, they were…”

 

    “You’re one lucky Nephilim, Alexander Lightwood.” Catarina muses thoughtfully. He looks up at her, perplexed. “He never shows anyone his cat eyes. Magnus has also not allowed a single soul to lay finger on him and yet,” she gestures to their current position and he feels his cheeks heat up “he’s been holding on to you for  _ how long _ ?”

 

    Alec looks away and clears his throat “About… 9 hours.”

 

_     “9 hours.” _ Catarina repeats.

 

    “He’s unconscious.” Alec reasons. “He doesn’t even know he’s doing it.”

 

    “And yet every time you try to move, he won’t let you?” Ragnor smirked.

 

    Silence.

 

    Catarina lets out a small sigh as she shakes her head fondly. “Let me tell you something, Alec. Since the day you entered the realm, I saw a change in him.” A heartbeat. “You’ve unlocked something in him. The second you two locked eyes, I saw it, and I know you both  _ felt _ it.

 

    “It was like… something just… fell into place.” Alec says slowly. “Like seeing him suddenly made everything around me make sense and I just felt the need to breathe and say ‘finally’ as if I… as if I’d been _waiting_ for that moment my entire life.”

 

    “He not only let you get close enough to touch, but he’s shown his cat eyes to you.” Ragnar's words are heavy with meaning as he studies Alec’s figure, as if assessing something. “A warlock’s mark is a vulnerable little thing. I wear mine proudly, because I was raised to love it. Magnus, however, was shunned solely for being a warlock. He was never taught to love who, or  _ what _ he is—he was only taught pain and misery. The world may see him as the Prince of Hell, the most powerful of all High Warlocks, but… you’re seeing him as Magnus Bane, a simple broken man, and the fact that he’s  _ letting you _ see that side says something… So I surely hope you never once take him for granted. Because if you do,” his eyes flick up to meet Alec’s and they harden threateningly “then you’ll have more than me and Cat to worry about.”

 

    “I don’t dare take him for granted” was Alec’s immediate reply. His face scrunched up as if he’d been offended. “After all he’s been through?”

 

    Catarina hums pleasantly and folds her arms across his chest. “Good answer” she says “Magnus may not be conscious to know he’s clinging to you right now but… when he wakes, give him some space. The Agony rune did a number on him, so he’ll need to take a breather on his own for a little bit, but… be patient. I’m sure you’ll find him at your front door in due time.”

 

    It’s not long after that when the couple finally takes their leave. They discussed what the demon told them with the mutual agreement that whatever the demon was spewing at them, Magnus will reveal when he’s recovered enough to open up about it. Ragnor left with a look of amusement while Catarina left was a look of warning, as if telling Alec “don’t fuck this up.”

 

    It didn’t take long for Alec to slip into slumber himself. He was comfortable and warm, and for the first time in months, having someone to occupy the other half of the bed so he could feel less lonely. Though he wasn’t sure how long he was asleep when he got stirred awake by movement. Blinking his eyes open sleepily, he looks around and notes the sun was no longer beaming into the room and that the sky was a hue of pinks, purples, yellows, and oranges—and that Magnus was awake and sitting up on the edge of the bed, with his back at him.

 

    “Magnus?” Alec said groggily as he rubs his eye.

 

    Magnus perks up a little at the sound of his voice but doesn’t turn around. “I’m… sorry” he apologizes quietly. “I didn’t realize I was holding on to you so tight that you couldn’t really move.”

 

    “Don’t worry about it.” reassures Alec while he moves to sit up. “Do you… feel any better?”

 

    “A little bit.” Magnus admits after a moment. He turns his head to look at his arm, where the Agony rune was—or, well,  _ was _ . “Did Catarina..?”

 

    “She healed it completely. Somehow. I didn’t honestly think the Agony rune _could_ healed.” Alec provides. “But she didn’t want… a  _ visual _ reminder too. It would just add to it.”

 

    Magnus smiles a little to himself. “Well, she chose wisely. It would just add to it.”

 

    Silence falls rather quickly between the two. Alec, not knowing what else to say or do to help him. Magnus, silent and struggling between reaching out and curling into himself.

 

    “I should—I should go.” Magnus caves as he stands to his feet. “I need some… alone time with some cocktails” he pauses and looks at his slightly trembling hands “Well… maybe  _ a lot _ of cocktails.”

 

    Alec immediately moves to stand as well as Magnus moves towards the doorway. Magnus observes the interior of his office before he turns to finally face Alec with an unusually soft expression.

 

    “Thank you, Alexander… You’ve helped me more than you care to realize.”

 

    “And I hope you realize I intend to  _ continue _ helping.” Alec hints as he slowly steps closer.

 

    Magnus’ eyes soften as they searches the gorgeous hazel ones in front of him. “You have pure intentions. I can see it now. Thank you, and uhm… when there’s an update about what’s going on, send me a fire message and I’ll be—”

 

    “Magnus.” Alec cuts in with a small smile. “We’ll handle it. Take as much time as you need. Just know that you’re not alone, alright? Not anymore. So,” he takes a bold step closer, closing the gap between them by a few inches, “when you’re ready to talk, you know where to find me. I’ll be right there. Waiting.”

 

    “Thank you” Magnus breathes, looking as if Alec had just said something that he needed to hear. “I’ll, uh… see you around then.”

 

    Not a second later, Magnus is walking into a portal and disappearing in front of Alec’s eyes. The room falls silent and Alec is once against left alone yet satisfied.

 

    A small sound gains Alec’s attention and he glances over at his screen monitor, sighing at the message “21 Unfinished Reports Due Soon” flashes subtly on the screen. Deciding he might as well get to work and get those reports filed, he takes off his bomber jacket and tosses it to a chair as he approaches his desk. Once he’s seated, he pulls up his sleeves and gets to work.

  
  


* * *

  
  


    How many drinks has he had? 53? More? Probably. He lost count around drink 10—or was it drink 15? Ah, who cares. He’s been downing these martini’s one by one, going through bottles of champagne left and right, and paying no heed to the horrified Warlock-Knights standing off to the side.

 

    “Magnus” Ragnor finally says after hours of complete silence. Magnus can’t help but jump a little. He totally forgot the two were even there.

 

    “How long have you been standing there?” He slurs, pointing a finger at both of them. “10 minutes?”

 

    Catarina gives him a pained look. “We’ve been watching you drink for the past 4 hours, Your Highness” she exasperates. “Don’t you think that’s enough? It’s barely 3am and you haven’t even slept yet.”

 

    “Oh, please, I slept enough while unconscious. Besides,” he grabs another bottle of champagne, using his magic to pop the cork before pouring himself another glass “it’s happy hour somewhere, my darling.”

 

    Ragnor heaves a sigh and mumbles “that’s it” before he strides over to Magnus to snatch the glass out of his hand before the rim could touch his lips, ignoring the wounded kicked-puppy sound Magnus makes.

 

    “It’s alright to drink like a fish—” Ragnor pulls the glass away when Magnus tries to reach for it and gives him a sharp look “—if you drink what a fish drinks.”

 

    “Martinis  _ do _ have water in them” Magnus scoffs before pausing, “Right?” 

 

    Ragnor sends him a flat look before snapping his fingers, making the martini and the bottles of champagne, both empty and full, disappear. Magnus sighs in defeat before turning away from him and instead taking refuge in his throne chair.

 

    “Sometimes I still wish Camille came around.” Magnus laments quietly, slouching in his seat. “That fiery woman—how I loved her… I prayed that she would love me the same but she just  _ laughed _ .”

 

    “To Camille” Ragnor sighed, “immortals aren’t supposed to feel true love.”

 

    Magnus chuckles “She was so cynical.” But then the wistful smile he wore quickly vanishes from his face as he turns his attention towards a very large lifelike painting of Camille, Magnus, and Ragnor hanging on the wall. “She broke my heart.”

 

    “You let her break your heart, my friend.” Ragnor corrects. He makes a mental note to tear down that damn painting and burn it if he has to. “You may be immortal but she  _ killed _ you.”

 

    “…Maybe Camille was right.” Magnus murmurs after a moment of silence. “I  _ am _ immortal… I can party and have fun to my heart’s content without the anchors of love at my feet.”

 

    Ragnor watches in silence as Magnus lifts his hand to conjure up a shot glass of whiskey. Magnus’ go-to drink when he’s feeling particularly drained and beat down. He watched Magnus down the alcohol with a small wince before immediately refilling it before he decides to approach. Ragnor sits down in front of Magnus and makes the other look at him.

 

    “You are  _ not _ Camille.” He fiercely states. “And though I know you won’t believe me, someone will come along who  _ will _ tear down those walls you’ve built around your heart. And when that love comes back to you, you must do everything in your power to  _ fight for it. _ ”

 

    “Magnus” Catarina gently calls, placing a hand on his shoulder “I think it’s about time to end this isolation. The world needs us. The world needs  _ you _ .”

 

    “And what?” Magnus hisses as he glares at her. “Trust  _ them _ ? Those  _ Nephilims _ ?”

 

    “Those ‘Nephilims’ saved your life.” Ragnor reminds. “They welcomed all warlocks by accepting us into their Institute. I believe it’s time you owe them the benefit of the doubt.”

 

    Magnus doesn’t respond, but seems to weigh Ragnar's words. Glass still in hand, he refilled it with whiskey to rise it to his lips however, it was Catarina who stepped in this time to gently take the glass away. He lets the glass slip from his grasp numbly as his eyes remain glued to the painting. Something seems to click in his eyes, for Magnus lifts a hand to snap his fingers and suddenly, the painting was gone and another stood in its place.

 

    “Your Highness?” A guard exclaims quietly when Magnus yanks himself out of the chair to begin storming down the throne room.

 

    “I’m going to my chambers. Do not disturb me.” Magnus orders as he passed through the doors, which slam shut behind him with a simple flick of the wrist. Catarina turns to give Ragnor a look. But he simply just rolls his eyes at her and glances up at the new painting that hung on the wall.

 

    A painting of Magnus, Catarina, Ragnor, and Madzie.

 

* * *

 

    The door slams roughly behind him, rattling in its hinges for a couple of seconds. Magnus stares at it as if to make sure it doesn’t just combust at impact—he definitely slammed it harder than he intended to. Once the door settled, Magnus turns away from it and moves further into his room. His room was at the top of the pagoda, overlooking many acres of the land below, and was half-built out of the growing Angel Oak tree that stood parallel to the structure. 

 

    Magnus was very in-tune with nature, felt very connected with it and that’s why he built that garden in the first place. Because not only did planting his garden distract him from his own demons, but it allowed him to give more life to the forest he resides in.

 

    The entire roof was made out of the tree's several branches; each of them entwined together with vines stitching the gaps closed to keep the roof firm and solid above his head. On the right side of the room, embedded into the wall, stood the sturdy and ancient trunk of the tree. There was a few low hanging branches that Magnus had decorated with several Omamori charms, all of different designs and colors and meanings. On both sides of the trunk stood two matching bookshelves with different books and decorative items, and even an actual skull. His bed sat in the middle of the room with a large, white silk cloth hanging above it, draping delicately over the bed to form a tent-like image. There was a small wooden archway in front of the bed that assisted with holding the drapes up to allow passage on to the mattress—however, once actually laying on the bed, one would notice the beautiful crystal chandelier hanging above them. Sitting in front of the bed was a very large opening that lead to a spacious wooden balcony that Magnus had created centuries ago with draping vines serving as a makeshift door.

  
  


[ mood ↺ “lonely” by nathan wagner ]

  
  


    Bypassing his bed, Magnus pushes the vines out of his way so he could step out onto the balcony. The fresh air hits him at once and he feels his lungs squeeze when he inhales, like he wasn’t breathing until now. As he looks down at the many trees and other smaller structures before him, he feels his lungs squeeze once more. 

 

    And then it hits him all at once.

 

    He sees his hands shaking before he’s feels them. He sees his vision swarm with tears before he feels the sting of them, and feels the wetness of them as they trail down his cheeks like fresh dew gliding across the smooth expanse of a leaf. He feels the lump in his throat, constricting his windpipe and making him choke up, and suddenly feels like he’s being suffocated, like all the walls around him are closing in on him until he’s confined in a box.

 

    Like a thousand paper cuts, the sudden sadness cuts deep into his flesh. For every time he remembered his loss, his own pain, another cut would form. None of it would be strong enough to kill him, but it would all eventually accumulate to bleed him dry of any humanity he had left. It flowed through his veins and numbed them so that he couldn’t even feel his fingers as they tried to grasp onto the railing, only to slip and fumble, sending him to the ground. It deadened his mind like a dark mist; consuming him and wrapping all around him like sharp talons digging into his heart. It was a poison to his spirit, dulling him, killing off his other emotions until it was the only one that remained like a warrior standing in a battlefield. The mist refused to shift, no matter how bright the sun above him was shining, it couldn’t will the darkness away even as the birds sang around him. For the world was lost to him and he knew of nothing that would bring it back into focus.

 

    He could barely breathe. He felt as if the talons were digging into his lungs and squeezing the life out of him. His heart ached and ached and  _ ached _ and he clutched onto his chest, as if trying to stop the hammer from banging down upon his quaking heart. He could feel his pulse  _ p-p-p-pounding _ so fast that he swore it might just end up leaving him too, and then he’d just be an empty vessel; void of any emotion.

 

    And then suddenly he felt as if he was a boy again. Standing at the foot of his mother’s bed, calling out to her only to get no response. Looking at her cold, dead eyes, and begging for her to _wake up_ , to not leave him alone. Suddenly, he felt like he was there once again; looking down at the dagger pressed into her chest and padding his small hand against her tear-crusted cheeks. Her skin pale enough for him to see the light blue veins lingering underneath like lightning bolts. He felt like he was there all over again and it caused his gut to clench.

 

    He doesn’t even know he’s moving, already on his feet like his body has a mind of its own; to wrapped around this sudden tidal wave of emotion crushing down upon him like the rough seas to a ship. Wave after wave, it just kept hitting him. Pummeling him with a sense of gravity that he hadn’t experienced in  _ centuries _ —in ways that Magnus swore to himself he’d never let himself feel  _ ever _ again. Not after Camille. Not after what the Clave, what his  _ father _ , put him through. 

 

    Never again, he swore to himself long ago, yet here he is now;  _ feeling _ . Feeling so much, so heavy, so soon that it’s like he never even felt before.   
  
  


    A loud blaring honk had him yanking himself out of his own self-pity in time to dodge a yellow taxi cab. He heaves a breath and looks around in alarm, realizing that he had somehow made his way out of his own realm, back into Brooklyn, and was now standing dumbly in the middle of a god damn street with ongoing traffic and a few onlookers looking at him out of both judgement and concern.

 

_     You  _ **_dumbass_ ** , Magnus thinks to himself as he quickly dashes to the other side of the street,  _ You, the High Warlock of Brooklyn and Prince of Hell, walking about the streets unglamoured. You’re lucky no one in their right mind would know who you are. To everyone else, you’re just a poor doddering fool looking to end his life. _

 

    Magnus stands off to the side as the people of Brooklyn continue wandering about around him. He feels his back press up against the wall of a building as he takes a deep breathe. Without even thinking about it, he snaps his fingers and glamours himself to be unseen by everyone around him. He tried to keep his sobs and shaky breathes quiet, however, because despite no one being able to see him, they’re certainly not deaf.

 

_ “    When you’re ready to talk,”  _ Alec’s voice suddenly sounded in his head.  _ “You know where to find me.” _

 

    Then the sudden urge to  _ move _ overcomes him. His head is fuzzy with the thick dark mist still shrouding over him and his heart is palpitating in his chest, he’s still shaking and gasping for breathe when he lifts his eyes up and notices an all too familiar building not too far away in the distance. Standing proud through the cracks of the surrounding buildings and trees around it.

 

    The urge to move hits him harder and this time, he finally listens. 

 

    Without even putting too much thought into it, he moves on instinct. His body itches to go there, to see that man with those beautiful hazel eyes and just… just  _ be there _ . The odd sense of familiarity, of comfort, that man possessed in the palms of his hands was terrifying and Magnus had no idea what it means, or what it entailed, but the only thing he wanted to do right now was curl himself into those soothing hands and  _ stay  _ there.

 

    Magnus weaves his way through the crowds of people as he marches forth. He bumps into some here and there but doesn’t bother acknowledging them, even when they turn around in complete confusion. His mind was set on one thing and one thing only.

 

    That Lightwood that’s somehow successfully been able to break not only but  _ two _ walls of his, and a fleeting thought makes Magnus, deep down, hope that more will crumble.

 

    Once again, the world is nonexistent as he moves his way through the streets to get to his destination—this time more mindful to the traffic. He could feel the dark mist shift slightly but remain, lingering above him with its talons still embedded deep into his lungs.

 

    Anxiety, Magnus duly realizes. He’s in the middle of a fucking  _ anxiety attack _ . It was understandable. He was possessed by a demon, tortured with the Agony rune, and was stuck reliving memories he spent _literal centuries_ burying into the deepest depths of his mind only for the demon to chew them up and spit them back into his face.

 

    Another fleeting thought has Magnus’ anxiety peeking up even higher.

 

    The world _really is_ out to get him.

 

    “Magnus?”

 

    He barely registers the voice calling him—only hears it muffled in his head like he’s underwater—and keeps moving forward. He only slows down, but never stops, when he feels a hand on his arm.

 

    “Magnus!”

 

    The voice calls out and he’s able to pinpoint the owner of it, who steps directly in front of him and grasps onto his biceps with both hands in a desperate way of getting Magnus to stop moving.

 

    It was Jace. And judging by his gear, he must be out on mission or patrol.

 

    “I…” Magnus murmurs but he’s unable to utter out much of anything else. There’s still a grip on his windpipe, the lump refusing to go down, and he stutters over the single syllable like it was the most complex word to exist.

 

    He looks down at his hands, which were trembling even more so than earlier.

 

    Something seems to click in Jace’s eyes and he lifts his head, quickly glancing around until he seems to spot what he was looking for. Magnus hears Jace calling out, and faintly makes out Clary and Isabelle out in his shouts, however the world around him goes numb again.

 

    “By the Angel.” Isabelle gasps as she rushes over, eyes wide at the distraught and emotionally raw state that Magnus was currently in.

 

    “What happened?!” Clary exclaims.

 

    “I don’t know—I just saw him stumbling about. He didn’t even hear me calling him for 2 minutes.” Jace pauses before quickly adding on, “I think he’s having an anxiety attack. He’s starting to hyperventilate.”

 

    “Alexander.” Magnus heaves. “I…  _ Alexander. _ ”

 

    Jace meets Isabelle’s eyes and nods firmly at her. She nods back and with Clary, they both begin running towards the Institute, which was now somehow only a few yards away. Jace works on gently coaxing Magnus to begin moving again and after a minute of being firmly rooted to the spot, his efforts pull off and he’s able to guide Magnus towards the building. He keeps a secure arm around Magnus’ shoulder to keep him steady though he barely is able to catch the warlock when the man stumbles on the second step.

 

    “C’mon, you’re almost there.” Jace guides as he pulls Magnus up. “Just a few more steps, okay?”

 

    Reaching out, Jace shoves one of the double doors open and practically pulls Magnus’ dead-weight through the threshold of the Institute. His eyes roam around desperately for his parabatai as he hauls the barely coherent warlock at his side. Some Shadowhunters bustling around them pause their work to look with wide eyes.

 

    “Where is he?” Jace barks when Simon runs over to them. “Where’s Alec?”

 

    “He was still in the meeting with the Clave representatives.” Simon rushes out. “But Izzy and Clary are getting him now.” 

 

    Jace sighs, “C’mon, let’s move him somewhere else where there’s no prying eyes.”

 

    Simon nods and goes on to the other side of Magnus to gently grasp his arm, helping Jace move him through the ops room and towards somewhere private. The nearest private room was Alec’s office bedroom. While Alec had installed a fingerprint scanner, Jace didn’t feel like breaking the damn thing in order to get into the room so he just used the Unlock rune and let Simon open the door for them.

 

    “I think it’s all starting to finally hit him.” Simon observes as Jace sets him down into one of Alec’s office chairs. Magnus sinks into it and hiccups on a sob. “I mean, why else would be wondering the streets at nearly 4am in a state like this?”

 

    “I smell a bit of alcohol on him.” Jace notes before shooting his hand forward to press into Magnus’ shoulder when the warlock leans forward a bit too much, nearly toppling out of the chair. “I don’t know how much he’s had, or how high Warlock tolerance is, but it definitely looks like he’s had a few good rounds.”

 

    Before Simon could reply, the door swings open and violently collides with the wall, making all 3 occupants jolt. Magnus lifts his head and sees a slightly disheveled Alec standing in the doorway with eyes blown wide.

 

    “Alexander…” Magnus shakily stood to his feet.

 

_     If I looked you in the eye and showed the broken things inside, would you run away? Would you run away? _

 

    Alec steps forward, out of breath and panting a little—he must’ve ran all the way over here. He looked exhausted and worn out. It’s so late that he probably hasn’t even slept yet. He’s dressed in some casual attire with black suit pants, a similar color belt with a well-crafted buckle, and a simple white shirt that was tucked in with the first few button undone revealing his lightly tanned skin and more of the rune on the side of his neck.

 

    Magnus does recall Jace saying something about a ‘Clave meeting’ and briefly feels a drip of guilt touch his soul.

 

    Here is, turning to a man he’s only known for a week, and taking up more of his limited time because he’s "feeling." How selfish can he be?

 

    “Magnus.” Alec exhales, tossing his signature bomber jacket on to his desk.

 

_     If you saw my darkest parts, the wicked things inside my heart, would you runaway? _

 

    A noise leaves Magnus’ lips when he heard his name roll off the other man’s tongue. More tears well up in his eyes as he feels the dark mist finally shift; loosening its talons on him but still residing there, hovering above him as a grim reminder of the storm in his head.

 

    Without even hesitating, Alec strides across the room and gathers Magnus into his arms. Magnus meets him about halfway and clings on to him, wrapping his arms around Alec’s neck and clutching onto his shirt. It was then when he was finally embraced in the arms of the man he was calling for that Magnus let himself completely break open.

 

_     Or are you the same? _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> visual for magnus' bedroom: https://i.imgur.com/RItSc8c.jpg


	5. if i ain't with you i'm lonely (can you hold me?)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Just wrap me in your arms, in your arms  
> I don't wanna be nowhere else  
> Take me from the dark, from the dark  
> I ain't gonna make it myself  
> Put your arms around me  
> Put your arms around me  
> Let your love surround me  
> I am lost"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tweet at me @itsamalecthing with your thoughts/input! I've decided to create a hashtag, so.. let's see how it goes? So if you wanna use that instead, go ahead.
> 
> #WoHfic 
> 
> I might change it later with a poll or something.

“Do you think he’s going to be okay?” Simon asks quietly. It’s been a little bit since they left the two alone in Alec’s office, deciding it’d be best to not make Magnus feel uncomfortable in any way by their presence, and instead grouped up in the ops room.

 

“Maybe” Isabelle answers as she presses a few buttons on the screen in front of her. “I think it’s going to be a process of trial and error, but I think it’ll be possible in due time.”

 

“He’s been through so much.” Simon places his hands on his hips as he frowns down at the floor. “Much more than we probably know. I think Alec is good for him, ya know? I mean… Alec seems to  _ genuinely _ care about the guy and sees past his titles. And Magnus—I don’t think he’s really as full as hate as he tries to come off as. I’m not saying he doesn’t hate the world, hell _I_ would if I was him, I’m just saying he doesn’t hate  _ everyone _ .”

 

Isabelle smiles and presses one last button before she turns to face him. “Well put, Simon” she praises before rewarding him with a loving kiss “I think the same. I think they’re both good for each other. I’ve never seen Alec so…  _ enamored _ by someone before.”

 

“Not even by Underhill?” Simon inquires. She scoffs and rolls her eyes at the name that still, unsurprisingly, sparks anger in the Lightwood siblings.

 

“Not even close.” Isabelle dismisses tersely, moving around her boyfriend so she could approach the table to bring a hologram up of a building. “They had a strong relationship in the beginning, and everyone liked them together. They were the… battle couple of the Institute, if that’s what you’d call it. Always by each other’s side both in arms and in command. However, when Underhill began to get insanely possessive and controlling, things took a sharp curve.”

 

“What exactly happened, anyways?” Simon curiously questions as he walks to stand by her. “I mean, we all know Underhill cheated on him but why?”

 

She seems to hover for a second in hesitation. “When Underhill began to change, they began fighting a lot. He was Alec’s first actual relationship but for some reason, Underhill thought Alec was lying and had several exes. He was being unreasonable and erratic all the time no matter how much Alec would try to soothe him. Alec would kind of…  _ take the brunt _ of Underhill’s sudden bipolarity.”

 

Simon’s eyebrows shot up. “Are you implying that Underhill  _ abused _ him?”

 

Isabelle pauses her scan on the building in favor of turning her body to face him, then continues to confide in a hushed tone, “We’d notice little things. Some bruises here and there on his arms in the beginning. But eventually, Alec just started wearing long-sleeves to avoid the questioning stares he got from everyone. He never explained, just kept saying that it was from a "bit too intense sparring lesson" or a "patrol gone awry." It wasn’t until me and Jace were heading to Alec’s office with a mission report when he heard it. Underhill was going off on Alec. We went into the room to try to see what was going on and they were in the most intense fight. I’ve never seen Alec look so… livid before. I guess he decided to finally take a stand for himself and stop trying to apologize for things that never happened.

 

Underhill was getting into his face and screaming at him. Jace was about to intervene but Alec stopped him. Said it was ‘his problem’ and that ‘only he could handle it.’ Underhill began cursing Jace out as well. He was seeing Jace as a threat and continued to insist that they had something going on. Underhill then mocked Clary, pretty much calling her a whore, and Jace gave it to him. I mean we  _ all _ did. We were all on him in a split second.”

 

Simon’s expression morphs into anger and he has to look away from her. “I would too if I was there.”

 

“I’m sure Luke would’ve torn him to shreds as well” Isabelle lightly comments with a smile. “By the time we finished pummeling him, Alec relieved him as the Head of Security and banished him from the Institute grounds for 5 weeks.”

 

“Can he do that?” Simon exclaims.

 

She shrugs halfheartedly, a smug smile on her red lips “I don’t think so. But no one here argued against it.”

 

“What was he like? After the whole incident?” Rafael finally chimes in after silently honing in on the situation. The couple jumped a little in surprise.

 

“Well,” Isabelle exhales, placing her hands on her hips “Probably around month 2, the news of Underhill cheating on him surfaced. Turns out, he was cheating on Alec for the past year because of his “paranoia” or something like that. As for Alec, he was surprisingly a lot stronger than I thought he would be. If I had to go through domestic violence, I wouldn’t be as strong as he was.”

 

Simon places his hand on the dip of her back and smiles reassuringly at her “You both are very strong people, Izzy.”

 

She sends him a small smile and covers his hand with hers. Her gaze then flicks over to Rafael, who was idly examining the hologram that she had pulled up moments ago. He seemed intent and completely oblivious to her imploring stare until he seems to realize that lingering silence. Rafael turns his head to look at them and pauses, blinking dumbly as he meets their intensely curious gazes. A look of confusion crosses over his expression before he catches on and emits a heavy sigh.

 

“Alright, fine. Since you’re all so eager to know, I’ll tell you how I met Magnus” he acknowledged. Isabelle gleams and shuffles closer, dragging Simon by his bicep. Rafael rolls his eyes but he can't help but still feel a bit fond over her child-like curiosity. He’s about to start when he spots Clary and Jace heading their way and figures, if he’s going to tell these two lovebirds, he might as well tell the whole lot of them. So he waves them over.

 

“Okay. Well, for starters, we met nearly 200 years ago. Before I even  _ became _ a vampire.” Rafael’s eyes flit over their faces and recognizes subtle shock. “You see, I was quite a troublesome kid when I was younger. Kept picking fights with the wrong people. And I unknowingly began provoking Catarina.”

 

Simon whistles in a grimace as he leans back against the table. “Definitely not someone you should want to provoke.”

 

Rafael sent him an ‘agreed’ glance before he continues, “One day, she got tired of me and took me into Magnus’ realm. Me. A 12 year old kid with  _ barely _ any discipline somehow ended up getting on the bad side of a Warlock-Knight, gets  _ dragged _ into a terrifying realm created around the center of the  _ Forest of Infernum _ . To say that I was terrified with a complete understatement.

 

    I was pulled into the realm unwillingly and presented before the High Warlock. They began speaking in some kind of language as I was just sitting there. On the ground, shaking. At that time, I didn’t even know about the Shadoworld or the Downworld—so I figured I was going absolutely  _ insane _ . But instead of punishing me like Catarina pushed for, Magnus just… calmly strides over to me and introduces himself. For some reason, I guess he was just comfortable enough with me to reveal his entire identity to me right then and there.”

 

    “He didn’t scold you for provoking a warlock?” Clary ponders curiously.

 

    Rafael laughs a little. “ _ El es un buen hombre. _ The only person he scolded was Catarina for involving me into a world I did not yet understand.”

 

    “So then how did your bond grow?” Simon asks, leaning forward a bit. “Was he there when you got turned?”

 

    “ _ Si. _ He was.” Rafael pauses briefly when a small, fond smile appears on his lips as he recalls the memory. “The first moments of being turned are the most horrific. You see a part of you that you wish never existed—I’m sure you can relate, Simon.

 

    I was confused… Lost and felt like a monster. I didn’t know what to do, where to go, who to turn to. When I got turned, I was still trying to grasp the concept of Warlocks, let alone the presence of Vampires. I felt like my entire world was crumbling underneath my feet. And yet, as if he sensed my distraught, he appeared. I remember stumbling over in the deeper sections of Chinatown one night and briefly glanced at this tiny little herbal shop. Then the next thing I knew, I was standing in his realm, in the middle of his garden and there he was. Unglamoured, kneeling on the ground as he tended to a young rose bush. It was silent for a moment before he turns to me and smiles and says, ‘We have a lot to talk about I see.’ From then on, he… he guided me. Taught me to master my strength, hone in on my senses, and control my thirst. He taught me the  _ right way _ of being a Vampire and, as the High Warlock, welcomed me into the Downworld.”

 

    Rafael’s fond look suddenly vanishes, and a look of mourning replaces it. “I’m still guilty over Camille.”

 

    “Camille?” Simon exclaims. “What do you mean—did they knew each other?”

 

    “Understatement,  _ mi hermano _ . They were past lovers” Rafael scoffs as he quickly grows angry at the memory “Camille treated him poorly. She abused him. Physically, emotionally, mentally. I still recall seeing some scars she left on him... You see when I met Magnus, they were already together. Had been for years—Camille was the only person Magnus let close and yet she treated him like that, despite knowing what he'd been through. She destroyed him, used him, and laughed at his pain. She was my Clan Leader, there was nothing I could do, for I feared a rebellion. But when you two came along,” he gestures to Simon and Clary, “and brought her actions to light, I was finally able to do something. They had broken up long before then, of course, but she still tried wiggling her way back into his life and I was tired of seeing him near anxiety attack after anxiety attack, mental breakdown after breakdown, and I just… I couldn’t allow it. I personally watched him cage her up and send her to the Gard.”

 

    Something seems to click in Isabelle’s mind, for realization lights up on her features before she turns to them with a small gasp, “Camille was the reason Magnus doesn’t let anyone touch him. She abused him after he let her in, and that must’ve taken a whole lot of strength with what he’s been through.”

 

    “You’re right!” Jace agrees, pointing a finger at her. “And yet the only person who has managed to touch Magnus without getting his fingers chopped off is…”

 

    “Alexander.” They both all say in unison after a brief pause.

 

    “Alexander is a good man, so I hold no judgement on my end.” Rafael comments sincerely. “He’s got a pure heart and a good head on his shoulders, and has let me lean on him in weaker times. I owe him many thing. I’ve never seen Magnus so relaxed around a Nephilim before. The last time one tried to approach him, he nearly ripped their tongue out.”

 

    Jace grimaces at the image “Gross,” he groans.

 

    “When I say Magnus hates Nephilims, I mean it.” Rafael chuckles. “He has a distinct ability to judge someone’s character upon their first meaning. So when you all stepped into his realm, he knew none of you had bad intentions.” His eyes slant over to Jace as he raises an eyebrow. “Except for  _ you _ , of course,  _ idiota. _ ”

 

    “Hey!” Jace guffaws, throwing his arms up in the air dramatically. “I made up for it! I  _ apologized _ _! We’re cool_ now!”

 

    “Yeah, after he pummeled you in that sparring lesson.” Isabelle snickers.

 

    Simon regards her with a look of amusement, folds his arms across his chest, and jests in return, “If I recall, he also pummeled  _ all _ of you.”

 

    Her snickers seize and she gives him a blank stare while Rafael resists a laughter of his own.

 

    “I wonder if Magnus will let Alec in.” Clary wonders, face turning serious as she stares down at the floor. “I mean… when Underhill hurt him, I feared the worst. I thought Underhill would’ve…  _ changed him. _ Domestic violence—that’s  _ no _ joke. It can do a number on someone and, I don’t know, I guess I just,” she sighs and shakes her head at herself “I guess I just expected him to completely shut all of us out.”

 

    “I think Alec has learned to never shut out the people that want nothing but to help.” Jace reassures. He steps to his side and soothingly runs his hands up and down her arms. When she finally looks up at him, he smiles sweetly at her. She returns the gesture and he  pulls her into his arms, pressing a kiss to her forehead as he does so.

 

    “And I think that’s something Magnus is beginning to realize as well.” Rafael looked in the direction of where Alec’s office was. “I think they were supposed to meet each other, something more pristine than fate probably.” He pauses after a moment as if suddenly remembering something. “I just remembered something—a story Ragnor once told me when I was young. I thought it as just a lullaby or something. But now, I don’t think it is…”

 

    Everyone leans forward in silence, intrigued by what Rafael implies.

 

    “He spoke about some myth.  _ Fatali Animarum. _ ” Rafael recalled, “Latin for ‘Fated Souls.’ Ragnor would tell me about how once in awhile, in the Downworld, when two souls meet, there’s a connection that forms. I guess the best way to explain it is the mundane term of ‘soulmates’. But it’s so much more than that. It’s like… it’s like when the souls meet for the first time and they suddenly get overcome with the feeling that they’ve been waiting to see the other for the entirety of time. They can feel each other's emotions, like a parabatai, but if their connection is strong enough, they can communicate telepathically. It’s a beautiful bond that only the chosen few can experience.”

 

    “Wait a minute” Isabelle suddenly put in, practically leaping from her chair as she faced Clary, “when we went to get Alec, he seemed to be in distress.”

 

    “And he didn’t know why.” Clary gasps. “Oh my god—he was totally _freaking out_ and all we had to say was Magnus’ name and it was like he just suddenly understood.”

 

    “And he  _ never _ cuts off a Clave meeting.” Isabelle adds with a grin “But the second we said his name, Alec was out of the door in a matter of  _ seconds. _ ” Clary grins at her and glances over at Jace, who considers the circumstances.  


 

    “Maybe they are  _ Fatali Animarum. _ ” Isabelle swooned as she clings to Simon’s arm. “How romantic, don’t you think?”

 

    Simon rolls his eyes but the fond look in them never disappears.

 

    “Maybe.” Rafael murmurs, gaze still in the direction of Alec’s office. “Just maybe.”

  
  


* * *

  
  


    Alec recalls the second the emotions hit him. He was standing with poise in front of some Clave representatives, Jia Penhallow included. The origin of the meeting was not just so Alec could pester them about why they’re choosing to remain completely silent during the chaos, but also because he may be on the brink of finding out what’s going on and stopping it before things turn even worse than they are right now.

 

    He’s halfway through his speech—something how it seems the only ones who fighting to save the world is his Institute—when it hits him. He remembers staggering a little before he catches himself on to the table. It was a bullet of sorrow, hitting him so hard that it sucked the breath out of his lungs. He could barely register the people around him, looking at him in confusion and concern, as he desperately looks around. 

 

    The first immediate, logical thought he had was his parabatai. He’d get snippets of Jace’s emotions here and there but nothing ever this strong.

 

    “Alec.” Rafael had whispered once he got close. “What’s going on? Are you okay?”

 

    “I don’t know” Alec honestly replied, looking at the male with wide eyes. “I just—there’s suddenly so much emotion. I-I… I don’t know where it’s coming from.”

 

    “Do you think something happened with Jace?”

 

    Alec swallows thickly as he looks around briefly before shaking his head “I don’t think so” he disagrees, “Jace is on patrol with Izzy and Clary right now—they’re just standing guard outside the Institute. If something happened, we’d be under alert.”

 

    Something shifts in Rafael’s gaze as he scanned Alec’s mortified expression.

 

    Trying his best to ignore the emotions raking at his core, Alec continues the meeting but not without stumbling over every other word he tries to say. The emotions are too strong, too much, and he’s barely able to bite back the tears from spilling out of his eyes.

 

    “Alec!” Someone shouts as the door flings open. They all whip around at the noise and Alec shoots up from his seat at the sight of his sister and Clary rushing in with desperate expressions. Jace isn’t with them, Alec realizes, and begins to panic. So something did happen. Something happened to—

 

    “It’s Magnus” was all Isabelle needed to say. It’s all she needed to say before Alec found himself running out of the room at top speed, driven by a focus, by an instinct to reach the soul his is crying out to.

 

    And now here they are, confided in Alec’s office with the doors leading to his bedroom locked tight. Alec had activated another little gadget that Ragnor installed—an “anti spy” barrier, as Ragnor has dubbed it, where no one could peer beyond of the walls of this room. No warlock, no rune—no one. Completely privacy. Complete secrecy. 

 

    Alec made a mental note to get that man a ‘thank you’ gift once all this hell blows over.

 

[ mood ↺ “can you hold me” by nf ft britt nicole ]

 

    “Do you wanna talk about it?” Alec asks gently from his spot from across the room. Magnus was obviously more relaxed now that he was in Alec’s presence, and he was recovered from his intense anxiety attack, but was still distraught and emotionally raw as he sat in Alec’s bed.

 

    However, Magnus hasn’t said a single word since they had embraced, and Alec can’t stand the silence anymore. The intense emotions he was overcome with merely 2 hours ago were now gone, but now all he felt was a stubborn need to protect him. To gather Magnus up in his arms and hold him close, to never let go. But Alec feared to even move. He didn’t wish to set Magnus off or risk scaring him away and shoot himself through a portal in the middle of his bedroom.

 

    No, if Alec was anything, he was patient. He’s been waiting for Magnus to open up by himself instead of pressing the man. So while he was waiting, he had prepared himself a coffee and a cup of honey lavender tea for Magnus that he hopes will make Magnus feel more relaxed.

 

    While Alec had already downed his cup of coffee an hour ago, Magnus was gingerly sipping on it here and there and using his magic to keep it warm. With every sip, he seemed to savor the taste and let the warmth ease his aching shoulders.

 

    “When I was possessed by that demon and tortured,” Magnus finally spoke, voice hoarse and rough. It made Alec swallow down the lump forming in his throat.

 

    He seemed so small; standing there at the window with hunched shoulders, head low, and shaky hands cupping the mug of tea delicately between his palms.

 

    “That Agony rune… it made me relive my  _ worst _ memory.” the warlock continues, “and now… I  _ can’t _ get it out of my head.” Magnus places the cup of tea down on to a small table and turns away from Alec briefly so he could sit down on to Alec’s bed. “Every time I close my eyes, I…"

 

    “Hey” Alec says quietly as he finally lets himself move; kneeling down in front of him. He doesn’t continue until Magnus lifts his eyes to peer up at him meekly. “What is it..?”

 

    Magnus hesitates, “When I was young, I… I found my mother dead at her own hand.  That dagger Ashley gave you… was the dagger she used.”

 

    Alec furrows his eyebrows as he reaches forward to place a comforting hand on Magnus’ knee. The reaction Magnus had when Alec first pulled out the dagger—now he understands.

 

    “My stepfather found me shortly after… He screamed at me. Called me an  _ abomination _ .”

 

    “What?” Alec exclaims quietly in disbelief. 

 

    “He was right.” Magnus conceded bitterly. “He blamed me for her suicide. He said that she hated herself for giving birth to a  _ monster _ .” He does nothing to stop the tears from welling up in his eyes, does nothing to try to desperately wipe them away when they trail slowly down his cheeks. “So I lashed out. With  _ all _ the magic I had.”

 

    The memory of that haunting night floods into his mind once again. He remembered himself, small and young, standing there in front of his stepfather as the man continues to curse at him. Blaming him for his wife’s death, calling him a monster, and abomination—a  _ nightmare _ that doesn’t deserve to be breathing.

 

    He remembers feeling his eyes morph into his real ones, and could see the change from anger to terror in his stepfather’s eyes. Magnus didn’t even need to do much. All he needed to do was lift his arm and a fireball was shooting out from his palm, hitting his stepfather directly in his chest.

 

    He remembers the scream the man let out as he crumbles to the ground in agony.

 

    “I  _ burned him _ , Alexander…  _ Right where he stood. _ ” Magnus grits out. “I murdered my stepfather.”

 

    Alec shakes his head a little before, “You were just a boy” he protests. “You weren’t in control of your powers.”

 

    “Yes, actually, I was” Magnus confessed as he slowly lifts his gaze to watch Alec’s expression. Alec says nothing as he gazes back at him, eyes never once leaving Magnus’. They gaze at each other for a couple more seconds before Magnus breaks the contact and lowers his head.

 

    “I never wanted you to see this... terrible,  _ ugly _ side of me,” he sniffles and looks away, bringing a hand up to wipe his nose, “of my past.” 

 

    Frowning, Alec moves his hands to gather both of Magnus’ in them. “Hey” he interrupted sternly. “There is  _ nothing _ ugly about you.”

 

    The unsure, insecure look that Magnus was wearing when he looked up at him loosens. His eyes soften and he allows a small, grateful smile to tug at his lips, touched by the sheer determination in Alec’s eyes. Alec slides his arms around Magnus’ form and pulled him closer, hugging him tightly. He feels Magnus sag into him; pressing his face into his shoulder as his hands curl into the fabric on his back.

 

    “Tell me what I can do.” Alec murmurs into his hair. “Tell me there’s  _ something _ I can do to make it better. Tell me.”

 

    Magnus smiles a little against his shoulder and briefly nuzzles his nose into the junction of his neck.

 

    “Just… can you hold me?” He pleas brokenly. “Just hold me… Please, Alexander.”

 

    It’s silent before Alexander moves to pull away and Magnus can’t help but feel disappointed, defeated, as Alec’s warm hands slip away.  He doesn’t bother looking up when Alec stands slowly and moves away from him. He hears movement to his side but doesn’t want to look, doesn’t wish to look in Alec’s way, so he stands slowly himself. He’s halfway towards the door when Alec calls out.

 

    “Where are you going?”

 

    Frowning a little to himself, Magnus turns after a moment to face him. “Because I…” his words trail off when his eyes find Alec’s figure. His shoes were off. He had changed out of his dress shirt to a more comfortable shirt and was just pulling up a pair of sweats over his hips when Magnus had turned. Magnus blinks dumbly at him, the fleeting thought of Alec changing in his presence without hesitation buried deep in his mind—he can’t help but feel a little idiotic for deciding to not look up and watch.

 

    “What…” Magnus continues to watch as Alec shifts forward to tug the comforter of his bed back after tossing the decorative pillows to the side.

 

    “Figured this would be a more comfortable place.” Alex clarifies with a small, shy smile. He approached Magnus with gentle steps then reaches out, pressing the pad of his thumb into Magnus’s cheek to wipe away the stray tear.

 

    “Maybe this time you’ll be conscious to know you’re clinging to me.”

 

    Magnus lets the laugh slip out. Alec smiles more at the sound before stepping back, extending his hand out to him. Magnus glances down at the open, inviting hand waiting for him then up at the patient pair of hazel eyes that stared back. He cracks the second their eyes meet and he finds himself moving his hand to accept the invite. Alec squeezes it and gently tugs him towards the bed. He continues holding it when Magnus wavers a little as he toes off his own shoes. Only does Alec let go of his hand when Magnus makes a motion to take off his jewelry. Alec climbs into the bed and flops down on to his back with a small breathe. He watches Magnus’ necklaces and rings clink against the surface of his nightstand.

 

    “What does that crystal stand for?” Alec asks as Magnus lifts his crown gingerly off of his head. Magnus chuckles quietly and places it beside his jewelry.

 

    “It’s… a bit of a long story, but to sum it all up, that crystal? Break it and it unsheathes my greatest weapon.” He turns his head and notices Alec’s intrigued, but confused, look. “My demonic power.” Alec’s eyes widen. “I keep it locked in there as a last resort. In case something ever goes south. And… something tells me I’ll be needing to do just that, and soon.”

 

    “Never mind that.” Alec quickly interjects as he reaches out, grabbing Magnus’ hand to tug him into the bed. “C’mere.”

 

    Magnus laughs as he’s unceremoniously tugged into the bed. He allows the pull to happen and finds it easy to curl up into him. Alec’s arms wrapped around him once more, pulling him close and holding him protectively, his head pressed against Alec’s chest—Magnus oddly feels at home. He feels complete, whole. 

 

    As he lifts his head to gaze up at Alec, he sees the sun rays gracing the side of his face. He sees hues of purples, blues, and oranges taint Alec’s skin and his eyes sparkle as they gaze back at him, mirroring the same colors like his eyes were the sun itself. 

 

    And Alec is gazing at him like Magnus was the world that he was orbiting.

 

    And Alec’s fingers dip underneath Magnus’ shirt and brush against his skin, leaving trails of comforting heat in their wake. It’s as if his fingers were his sunrays; warm no matter where they touched. They extended their own warmth to Magnus’ quaking form, filling him with a light that never existed until Alec existed in his life.

 

    And as the sun dips a little lower on the horizon, the hues change subtly. A lighter shade of purple, a deeper shade of blue, and a more delicate touch of orange and now pink shadow over Alec. Magnus is even more enamored as he watched the colors change in Alec’s hazel irises. He’s breathless by the time Alec lifts his free hand to his cheek, extending more of his warmth throughout Magnus’ core.

 

    Magnus doesn’t know who leaned in first, but now he’s feeling a slightly more intense heat against his lips. So he closes his eyes and basks in it, allowing the warmth to completely consume him. He melts into it, leaning into Alec’s palms as he grasps on his shirt as if trying to ground himself. 

 

    Alec’s lips are marshmallows compared to Magnus’ slightly chapped, tear-stained tiers but it doesn’t seem to faze Alec at all. He shifts his hand forward an inch, feeling his fingers slide into Magnus’ locks as his thumb is a gentle pressure against his jawline. Magnus hums against his lips at the sensation.

 

    And, yeah, Magnus might just be inwardly admitting that Alec could just be the his sunrays (Alec gently pulls away from the kiss but remains close. Their eyes flutter open and gaze into each other), but no, Alec may just be more than that. He just hopes that Alec feels the same way.

 

    A small smile tugs at Magnus' mouth unconsciously and he doesn’t think to swoop in for another toe-tingling kiss. When their lips meet for the second time, Magnus feels it. The unspoken connection they both felt form when they met—he can feel it filling his chest with a vehemence tenderness. 

 

    He doesn’t register another wall crumbling faintly in the background. Without noise. Without fight. He doesn’t register himself feeling significantly lighter, and more at peace, as the kiss remains, slow and delicate.

 

_     If I ain’t got you here, if I ain’t got you, I got nothing at all. _

  
  


* * *

  
  


    “Good morning, Alec. Glad you decided to finally join us.” Isabelle teases as she spots Alec heading over to them. He still looks as if he’s trying to wake up, looking around blearily with sleep laced eyes, but he seems content. There’s a lightness to his steps and a glow in presence.

 

    Alec sends her a flat look—always so grumpy in the morning—as he joined Jace’s side before he looks down at the ops table they were all currently surrounding.

 

    “Sleep well?” Clary asks innocently but one look at her little grin says otherwise.

 

    “I slept fine” Alec deadpans. “Thanks for asking… I guess.”

 

    “You seem to be a lot less broody now. The hell happened after we left?” Jace joins in, taking a step back to assess Alec head to toe before he gasps and points a finger at him. “By the Angel, did you and Magnus—”

 

    “— _ Please _ tell me you used a wrapper.” Simon bemoans.

 

    Alec makes a confused face and holds his hand out in a “the fuck?” gesture. “What on earth are you talking about?”

 

    “He’s talking about a condom.” Rafael provides with a raised eyebrow. “They think you…  _ became one _ with Magnus.”

 

    “Became one?” Alec parrots in complete and utter confusion. They all raise their eyebrows at him. It takes a second for it to click before groans, pressing a hand to his forehead as he feels his cheeks and ears burn a shade of scarlet.

 

_     “Oh my god—” _

 

    “I’d say about time, bro.” Jace smirks as he slaps Alec’s shoulder. “You finally stepped up your game.”

 

    “We did  _ not  _ have—”

 

    “I mean, as long as he used a condom.” Simon snorts before pointing at Alec with a suggestive smirk. “Remember: when he’s spunky, wrap your monkey.”

 

    The table roared in laughter while Alec was trying to both decipher that sentence as if Simon just spoke Ancient Greek and also wishing a black hole could swallow him up. Like,  _ right now _ .

 

    “Okay, first all,” Alec holds up a hand, “the fact that you guys are so invested in my sex life is beginning to _concern me._ Second of all, I have  _ no idea _ what the hell you just said. Third of all,  _ we didn’t have sex. _ We kissed. That’s it. Case closed.”

 

    Rafael’s eyebrows shot up. “You kissed him?”

 

    The table fell silent and it was suddenly all too intimidating for everyone to be staring intensely at him that he had to look away with a clear of his throat.

 

    “Oh my g—I’m so proud of you!” Isabelle squeals, launching her tiny body against Alec’s broad chest. Alec sputters in disbelief— _ ‘ _ **_why_ ** _ are you proud of me for kissing a man, Izzy?’ _ —as he tries to squirm of out of her hold.

 

    "Then it’s true” Rafael affirms as he examines Alec “You and Magnus… You’re…”

 

    Alec lifts his head, face scrunched up. “We’re what?”

 

    Rafael opens his mouth to reply but is cut off by the alarm blaring throughout the Institute. The reaction is immediate; everyone springing into action as they try to figure out the source.

 

    “Demons.” Isabelle answers as he pulls up a security feed. “They’re on Institute grounds, heading for the front gate as we speak.” Alec turns is head and meets the eyes of his mother across the room. He nods at her and she, along with a group of Shadowhunters, bolt for the doors with their weapons ready. Luke dashes along after her.

 

    “How many?” Alec asks as he joins his sister’s side.

 

    “There’s about only 5, but,” she leans in for a closer look. “I think I see some Asmodei.”

 

    “Shit” Jace cursed. “We’re not prepared for Asmodei. How can we possibly—”

 

    “Did you forget you have a warlock in your Institute?” A sudden voice cuts in. Alec doesn’t need to look up to know who it was, just simply smiles a little to himself as he pretends to watch the feed.

 

    “Magnus!” Clary exclaims, a smile blooming on her face. “Good morning! Oh, sorry about the alarms. Did they wake you?”

 

    Magnus chuckles a little as he continues walking towards them as he fixes his sleeve cuff. He was wearing a different outfit than before. “It’s quite alright, Biscuit. I’m a light sleeper. So, really, anything could wake me.”

 

    Rafael straightens his posture when Magnus’ eyes fall on him. The warlock stops in his tracks as he takes in the sight of Rafael slowly. Clary smiles a little as she watches and takes a step back, moving out of the way for the inevitable reunion hug that’s bound to happen any second now.

 

    “It’s been quite some time, Rafael.” Magnus sighs. “How have you been..?”

 

    “It has indeed. I’ve seen better days but… I find myself doing quite alright now that I’ve gotten to see you again.” Rafael takes a small step forward, his stiff features going soft as a kind smile dances on his lips.  _ “Te he extrañado, padre.” _

 

    That seems to break the tension in the air. Magnus smiles, openly and free at the man he dubbed a son, and opens his arms when Rafael all but runs to him. The hug was tight and firm as Rafael gathers the slightly smaller male into his arms, holding him like he’s terrified of letting him go, fearing he’ll disappear out of his life once again.

 

    “I would like nothing more to spend some quality time with you, my son.” Magnus smiles, running a hand up and down Rafael’s back. “But I’m afraid that’ll have to wait.”

 

    Rafael nods and pulls away from him, a look of understanding on his face. Magnus sends him a reassuring smile before he turns to the group standing parallel to them.

 

    “How many Asmodei do you spot, my dear?” He asks as he moves over to Isabelle. Magnus leans in between the siblings, but doesn’t break them apart; simply peering over Isabelle’s shoulder as he lets his hand rest gently on Alec’s elbow. Isabelle sent Alec a knowing look before she looks back at the feed, watching her mother and her group fend off the demons from reaching the entrance.

 

    “There seems to be at least 3 Asmodei coming in from the north.” She points out. Magnus hums a little and leans closer, squinting his eyes.

 

    “Interesting” he says thoughtfully, “They’re coming from a direction instead of from the sky… Which means there could be a nest or rift. Somewhere close.”

 

    “That’s… terrifying.” Simon gulps.

 

    “What do we do?” Alec asks as he turns his body to face the warlock, eyebrows drawn together. “Is it possible to close the rift?”

 

    Magnus nods with a sigh. He leans back and faces Alec, hand still on his arm. “It is. It’ll take a tremendous amount of strength to close a rift, but I believe I can do it.”

 

    “Are you okay to do it?” Alec presses gently. His hazel eyes searched Magnus for any distress, still worried about his condition from the night before. Magnus smiles softly at him and lightly drums his fingertips delicately against Alec’s cheek. 

 

    “I wouldn’t say I’m  _ okay _ okay but… I’m decent enough to close a rift to prevent a flock of Asmodei to infiltrate Brooklyn, darling.”

 

    Alec smiles lopsidedly at the endearment flooding Magnus’ features before he turns to face his friends. He clears his throat at the looks they’re giving him and raises an eyebrow at them in an “are you done?” manner. They immediately straighten but do try to keep their faces from breaking out into grins.

 

    “So what’s the plan?” Jace says instead. “We gotta close the rift but there’s demons already loose in Brooklyn.”

 

    Magnus hums in thought for a moment before snapping his fingers, some sparks flying as a result. “I’ve called Cat and Ragnor to portal here. With their help, they’ll be able to help defend Brooklyn from the demons. The rift is where the brunt of the demons will be, so I’ll need a good team to protect me while I focus on closing the rift. A team, in which, I’m in the presence of.” He grins a little at their smug looks. “I’ll be assigning Cat with a group of Shadowhunters to go hunt the demons in Brooklyn while Ragnor will be stationed here with your mother to help protect the Institute while we’re gone. Sound like a plan?”

 

    They all quickly nod in agreement. He hums, pleased, and snaps his fingers again. And now suddenly, he’s wearing his crown and all of the jewelry he had taken off last night along with the black cloak around his shoulders. Magnus sends Alec an amused glance when he noticed Alec admiring the wardrobe change before he turns around to the sound of a portal ripping through the air. Catarina and Ragnor step through in all their glory.

 

    “Cat. Ragnor.” Magnus greets as he approaches them. “There’s a rift open nearby and I need to go and close it. Ragnor, stay here and assist the lovely Ms Lightwood with protecting the Institute.”

 

    Ragnor nods and presses a fist to his chest before marching off.

 

    “Cat, I’ll be assigning you to a group of Shadowhunters. Go out in the streets of Brooklyn and try to defeat as much demons as you can.”

 

    Catarina bows her head at him and does the same gesture Ragnor does as well. As she walks past him, her gaze falls upon Alec and she hones in on him in scrutiny  Her gaze then relaxes when Magnus returns to his side, standing close, and she seems to realize. She sends Alec a look that seems less hostile and more relieved. 

 

    Ah, he’ll take it. It’s progress.

 

    “Let’s go, shall we? Best to get this over and done with” Magnus urges before he moving towards the doors as well. He opens them and narrowly dodges a spear to the forehead if Jace hadn’t pulled him back and block the spear with his Seraph blade. Magnus blinks rapidly, going a bit cross-eyed; for the tip of the spear was a mere centimeter away.

 

    “Watch it.” Jace hisses towards a Shadowhunter, who must’ve gotten spooked or something. The color on the Shadowhunter’s face drains quickly and he quickly pulls away, rambling and stumbling over his own apology. Magnus gives him a subtle look before he walks past him with a small huff. Once on the grass, Magnus bends down and presses his palm down flat on the ground. He closes his eyes and concentrates, focusing his energy to locate the rift. They stand guard around them as the demons continue zooming past them, either not noticing them or uninterested. Which means only one thing.

 

    “They’re trying to destroy the Institute” Isabelle realizes with a gasp.

 

    Still concentrating, Magnus raises his arm and guides it up in a fluid motion. Suddenly, all of the demons get yanked back violently as a shimmery, transparent wall forms all around the building. Ragnor studies the wards Magnus raises before he steps out of the safety of them, reading his weapon to continue fighting.

 

    “Found it.” Magnus says. His eyes shoot open to reveal his shimmering, gold cat eyes. “There’s not only one rift but two. Luckily, they seem to be located right next to each other.” He stands up and takes a deep breathe as his eyes fade back to normal brown hues. “Once we get there, I will create a protective bubble around us until we actually reach the rift. But it won’t last long. So I hope you all brought your fighting game with you today.”

 

    With that, Magnus opens a portal and gestures for them to enter first. Once they all step through the portal, he follows suit and flicks his wrist for it to close behind him. They’re on a beach now. Standing in the pale sand with the peaceful sound of waves crashing to their side. Naive mundanes were swarming the beach, despite it being as early as 10am, but it was quite smoldering out. It would’ve been a peaceful scene if it wasn’t for the large angry red open hole in the ground a few yards away. There’s a few demons zooming out of the rift every so often but it doesn’t seem to be quite active. Magnus still raises the protective bubble around them as they approach the rift. Magnus took a deep breath and rubs his hands together as he readies himself.

 

    “You gonna be okay?” Alec worries. 

 

    Magnus raises an eyebrow at him. “I’m the High Warlock of Brooklyn.”

 

    He widens his center and raises his hands, which glow in the same red demonic energy at the rift. Immediately getting to work on closing the rift, the rest observe and stand guard, waiting for a demon to fly through the opening. And a second later, one does.

 

    “Incoming!” declares Clary. The Asmodei shoots out of the portal and hovers in the air, looking as it was going to fly in the direction of the Institute, only to stop once it notices the group. It roars angrily at the sight of Magnus and shoots towards them. Alec and Jace race forward while the others remain back, forming a triangle around Magnus with their weapons of choice at the ready. Alec stops charging while Jace continues on and instead aims an arrow. He lets it fly by the demon quickly dodges. Alec frowns a little.

 

    “You have to ground it, Alec!” Isabelle shouts. “You can’t hit the Asmodei while it’s in the air!”

 

    Alec aims another arrow, completely disregarding her words as he steadies his aim. He follows the demon with the the tip of his arrow, watching as it zig-zags through the air as Jace stands on the ground, trying to swing at it uselessly with his sword. Alec closes his eyes, takes a deep breathe, and then reopens them. He shifts his aim to the right of the demon and lets the arrow go. It splits through the air with a sharp noise before landing a solid hit against the demon’s forehead. The demon screeches loudly before disintegrating in a puff of black smoke. Jace huffs and turns around to face him with a look that said “show off.” Alec just grins at him before he turns around to check on Magnus. He’s nearly done with closing the rift, just a few more seconds and—it’s closed. Magnus collapses down on to a knee, panting heavily.

 

    “Are you okay?” Clary asks as she gently helps him back up to his feet with Isabelle’s help. He nods at her. A few beads of sweat were collecting on his forehead, but he otherwise looks fine.

 

    “One down,” Magnus breathes “one to go. C’mon, children. The next one is a block away.”

 

    If they thought the first rift was easy, then they were clearly unprepared for the second one. Demons were swarming protectively all around it and it caused the group to hover in hesitation before Magnus marched forward in defiance. Despite being a bit exhausted already from the first rift, he created a magical barrier around them that protected them; making the demons bounce off like ping-pong balls. By the time they reached the rift—which was significantly larger than the other one—Magnus was a bit out of breathe. He declared that he’ll multi-task by closing the rift and holding up the barrier as long as he could, but even Alec knew that the second the rift would close, Magnus will collapse.

 

_     “It’s no flick of the wrist, snap of my fingers.” _ Magnus had explained on the way there.  _ “Even for a High Warlock such as myself, it takes a great amount of strength and concentration to close a rift.” _

 

    So there he was now; standing at the rift’s edge with both arms working steadily. One was moving about in front of him in circular motions, trying to edge the outer circle of the rift in as the other was held high in the air to keep the bubble around them. His arms were shaking and Alec could see the beads of sweat accumulating on his forehead.

 

    “Magnus” Alec calls out when he notices Magnus’ eyes flickering between brown and cat-eyes. He knew what this meant; he was running out of strength to even keep something as simple as his glamour up. “Magnus, you can do this.”

 

    “I just... I just need a little more…” Magnus’ words trail off and he sways before crumbling down on to his knee. Alec and Jace shoot forward immediately, both catching him before he could fully collapse. The barrier around them flickers ominously, making the two other females with them step closer when a demon nearly broke through.

 

    “I just need… a little more strength…” 

 

    Alec sets his expression and flicks his eyes up to his parabatai. He shifts his body a bit so he’s kneeling beside Magnus with his left knee pressed into the grass and his right leg pressed against Magnus’ back to offer him something to lean on. He slips his right arm around Magnus’ torso before offering his left hand to the man.

 

    “Take as much as you need.”

 

    Magnus’ eyes flicker with uncertainty as he eyes Alec, who simply nods at him. He glanced down at his awaiting palm before turning his head to look at Jace, who was in the same exact position as Alec was on the other side of him; one hand extended out and the other holding his blade. The uncertainty disappears from Magnus’ eyes and it’s now a glint of determination. With one arm still held high above him to hold the barrier, which still flickers, he reaches to place Jace’s hand on his arm that’s holding the barrier then places Alec’s on his shoulder. The surge is immediate and both parabatai’s could feel their energy slowly dripping into Magnus’ form. Magnus’ eyes change back to brown and the barrier around them strengthens tenfold, widening in girth to give them more room to breathe as Magnus moves his hand to further close the rift.

 

    “There’s so many demons.” Clary whimpered. “Are Cat and Ragnor doing okay?”

 

    “They’re my Knights.” Magnus dismisses. “I’m sure they’re doing perfectly fine.”

 

    “I wonder who opened the rift.” Isabelle ponders as her eyes keenly observe the demons as they trying to claw their way through the barrier. “Who  _ can _ open a rift?”

 

    “Pretty much anyone can if they put their minds to it.” Jace answers flatly. “Which probably means a demon possessed someone with the ability to and opened two rifts.”

 

    “Or,” Alec interjects, “Lucifer is somewhere here.” He looks around them wearily. “In Brooklyn.”

 

    “Finished” Magnus declares in a heavy pant. Jace pulls his hand away from his arm and stands, a little wobbly but still in focus and alert. Alec remains beside Magnus and nearly fumbles trying to catch the warlock as he completely collapses on to the ground.

 

    “Are you okay?!” He exclaims.

 

    Magnus pants against the grass before placing his palms on the ground, lifting himself up a little so he could turn his head to look back at him. “Can’t get rid of me that easily.”

 

    “You could’ve taken more, ya know.” Jace lightly scolded.

 

    “Oh, please” Magnus rolls his eyes as he sways his body up so he was kneeling. “If I had taken as much as I actually needed to, you’d both be unconscious.”

 

    “Watch out!”

 

    Magnus barely had time to react before a demon broke through the once-again flickering barrier, hurdling into both him and Alec and sending them to the ground. Chaos ensued quickly after. Demons flew at them like swarms of locusts and the group huddled closer. Magnus groans and tries to move his exhausted body; vision swimming as he tried to focus on his surroundings. He could vaguely hear Jace calling out to them, asking them what they should do in pure panic, and he could see the demons surrounding them. But he hears another voice—a quieter voice. He barely registers it before he notices that it was Alec, saying his name in a strained tone, and when he looks over to him, Magnus nearly screams.

 

    Alec was injured.  _ Bad. _

 

    The demon must’ve snagged him when it hurdled into them. There were 3 distinct large claw marks swiping up from his left shoulder going down to his mid-torso. They were deep and blood was pouring profusely out of the gauges. 

 

    Magnus swiftly crawls to him, vision now suddenly crystal clear as adrenaline and fear pumped through his veins. His hands hovered over the wounds and his breathing came out in small, shaky pants. He could see demon ichor lightly bellowing out from the wounds. This was not going to be easy, he knew that, but if he didn’t heal the wounds  _ now _ , Alec will die.

 

    “Alec!” Jace shouts as he stumbled to Alec’s side, expression matching Magnus’. “By the Angel… no.”

 

    “Hold on, Alexander” Magnus breaths as he straightens his shoulders. “Just hold on. I got you.”

 

    Alec’s eyes fluttered. He was on the brink of losing consciousness. “But… your magic is depleted…” He argued weakly.

 

    Magnus ignores him and lifts a hand, immediately getting to work. His hands were trembling as he snapped his magic to lift in his palms. Jace immediately shoots an arm forward to place it on Magnus’ shoulder, and Isabelle does the same. He closes his eyes and concentrates. Another bubble forms around them—Clary breathing out a sigh of relief as she nearly gets barreled over herself. Magnus’ eyes shoot open and instead of being the golden hue his cat eyes were normally like, they were suddenly powder blue; matching the sparks and magic around his hands. Jace couldn’t help but be in awe as he watched Magnus’ hands fluidly dance above Alec’s wounds, moving about in sharp but solid motions as he works the gases closed slowly.

 

    “We need to get him out of here” Magnus grits out “Even with your strength, I won’t have any power, nor concentration to heal his wounds and remove the demon ichor. All I can do right now is stabilize him for a little bit longer… Slow the blood flow.”

 

    “Dammit” Jace huffs out, twirling his sword around his hand. “There’s too many of them—I don’t think we can create a path.”

 

    Magnus draws his eyebrows together as he continues working on stabilizing the wounds. Alec’s breathing too hard, too fast, and sweat is already rolling down his temples. His skin is turning a pasty hue and even unconscious, Alec looks like he’s in distress and pain. The demon ichor is a poison lurking through his system. Magnus feels terrible, useless now, that he can’t heal the wounds or even get the demon ichor out. There’s the slight chance that he could, but he knows the trio in front of him don’t need  _ two _ unconscious morons to worry about.

 

    Isabelle backs up, dragging Clary close to her as they huddle around Magnus and Alec in a weak attempt of a protective circle once the bubble around them breaks. Magnus moves to gather Alec in his arms, bringing him close and wrapping his trembling arms protectively around him. The herd of demons close in with a few menacing steps, growling and hissing at them. With each step they took, the trio of Shadowhunters take a step back.

 

    A realization dawns on Magnus. They’re completely surrounded. He’s depleted of all his magic and barely has enough strength to keep his eyes open. Alec is unconscious and will be rendered weak once he does wake. And despite Jace, Isabelle, and Clary being graced with (the mere beginning’s of) Catarina’s training, he doubted they’d be able to finish off the 5 of them let alone 25.

 

    He glances down at the man he’s holding protectively in his arms. If Magnus doesn’t act soon, Alec will die. And the thought of losing this incredibly attractive, highly driven, headstrong, persistent Nephilim that rarely takes no as an answer in his arms like that makes Magnus’ heart clench. So with a small gulp, Magnus reaches up and touches the crown on top of his head; fingers brushing up against the blood red crystal. He takes it out of its confinement and holds it in front of his face, watching it pulse slowly like a heartbeat in the palm of his hand.

 

    If he crushes it now, that’s it. He won’t have the power he locked up in it when he faces Lucifer, at least not then—power like this takes a while to regenerate, especially if it’s been vacant for a while. And Lilith knows when Lucifer is planning on showing up. He already released the Asmodei like that one demon had foretold, so now it’s just a guessing game.

 

    Closing his fist around the crystal, he takes a deep breath as he closes his eyes. He clenches his fists and feels the edges of the crystal dig into his palm. Murmuring a quiet apology to those around him, he tightens his fist and—

 

    “Your Highness!”

 

    A cry startles all of them. Magnus nearly drops the crystal before shooting his head up, his wide eyes looking around before he catches sight of Ragnor and Catarina leaping over the herd of demons and landing down in front of them. He exhales in relief and places the crystal back into his crown. Ragnor catches the movement and rushes over to him while Catarina joins the trio in a battle stance.

 

    “He’s badly wounded.” Magnus states when Ragnor bends down. “Demon ichor… We… I don’t have any strength to heal him.”

 

    Ragnor assesses the wounds briefly, a frown adorning his lips, before getting to his feet. While he works on opening a portal, Catarina stands guard over it so no demon tries to enter it. After getting a signal from Ragnor to follow, Magnus musters up the remaining strength he has to carry Alec through the portal; one hand around his waist and the other securely holding Alec’s arm around his shoulder. His vision swims the second he stands up and he sways. But he refuses to collapse. Not now. Stepping through the portal only makes it worse. His stomach clenches and he suddenly feels the need to vomit as Ragnor guides him through the Institute halls in a rushed manner before finally reaching the medical wing. Ragnor instructs him to place him on the empty bed as he yanks off his quiver and bow, rolling up his sleeves. Magnus stumbles back as Ragnor shifts forward, taking his spot on the bedside to begin properly assessing the wounds.

 

    “Can you save him..?” Magnus whispers.

 

    Ragnor seems a bit too caught-up in breaking open Alec’s shirt to notice the falter in Magnus’ voice. “I do believe so. You’ve stabilized him and slowed the blood flow so that makes my task much more easier.”

 

    Magnus’ eyes flutter as his entire world spins. “Thank goodness…”

 

    This time, Ragnor hears it and turns to look at him with a frown. He shoots forward with a stunned shout when Magnus suddenly drops to the ground. He barely catches him in time.

 

* * *

  
  


    When Alec comes to, he realizes many things. 

 

    One; his chest feels like there’s a damn boulder on it. It’s so hard to breath without feeling his ribs constrict again his lungs. 

 

    Two; there are way too many fucking lights and it’s definitely not helping his headache. Seriously, who needs these many lights?

 

    Three; how the hell is he in the Institute’s infirmary when the last thing he remembered was getting football tackled to the ground by a demon.

 

    The sudden memory has Alec shooting up in bed with a gasp. The pain in his torso aches and his trembling hands scramble across his stomach and chest to find—nothing. No trace of the claw marks he physically endured. Not even a single scar. His torso ached, probably from the impact, but everything else about him seemed perfectly fine.

 

    “‘Bout time you’re awake.” Jace snorts from his seat placed beside Alec’s bed. “We were all beginning to worry about you.”

 

    “How long was I out?” Alec rushed out, eyes wide.

 

    “About 12 hours.”

 

    Alec groans, rubbing his palm all over his face. “Is everyone alright? I clearly remember us getting surrounded by demons and having no chance of survival, so the fact that I’m sitting _here_ and  _ you’re _ sitting _there_ is completely baffling me right now.”

 

    Jace grins, amused, then leans forward with his elbows on his knees to explain, “Catarina and Ragnor swooped in and saved our asses. Supposedly they have this connection with Magnus and could sense that we were in danger so they rushed over to find us.

 

    Everyone’s fine. No one got hurt here, at least not terribly, and as far as I know no one died. The only ones in critical condition are you and Magnus.”

 

    Alec exhales in relief and lays back down on the bed. However, Jace’s words register a second later and he shoots up again with a look of bewilderment on his face.

 

    “I’m sorry, did you say Magnus?”

 

    Jace blinks dumbly at him before nodding.

 

    “ _ Magnus _ is in critical condition?!” He shrills.

 

    Jace rolls his eyes and gestures to somewhere behind Alec. When he whips around, all he sees is a curtain. Despite the noise of disapproval Jace makes when Alec fumbles with himself to stand up and yank the curtain back, Alec finds himself peering down at other bed occupying the room. Magnus was on it; curled up a little on his side, facing Alec. His eyebrows were drawn together, making him look mildly uncomfortable in his deep slumber, but the monitor and screen beside the bed stated nothing but healthy vital signs.

 

    “What happened?” Alec moves forward and places a hand on Magnus’ forehead. “Is he okay?”

 

    “Oh, he’s fine” Jace waves a hand in dismissal as he leans back in his chair before continuing, “He collapsed when he carried you in here—do you know how much you weigh, dude? Wasn’t easy for him.” Alec turns his head and shoots him a “get on with it” look. “He’s  _ fine _ , Alec. It’s just a case of severe magic depletion, complete exhaustion, overexertion that _nearly_ put him in a catatonic state—”

 

    “That is not ‘fine’, Jace!” Alec disagreed in a shout. “That is the  _ opposite _ of fine!”

 

    “But  _ he’s fine! _ ” Jace countered with a frustrated gesture to the heart monitor. “He’s still alive and kicking, Alec. He’s fine. He just needs a shit ton of rest.”

 

    “Which is impossible if you two don’t quit your pathetic shouting match.” Magnus grumbles irritably. Alec jumps in surprise and looks down at Magnus, only to gap a little when he spots cat-eyes squinting blearily at him.

 

“Alexander, I’m glad to see you’re  _ perfectly okay _ now but I would like to get some much needed rest myself.”

 

    Alec blinks before aiming an accusatory finger at Jace. “He started it,” he childishly argued. Jace groans with a roll of his eyes.

 

    “I’m gonna go and notify the others.” Jace announces as he leaves the room, giving a half-hearted wave to them. Magnus huffs and shifts on to his back, stretching his arms above his head as he does so. Alec pulls his hand back but remains seated on the edge of the bed, eyes never leaving those memorizing golden eyes. After a second or so of stretching, Magnus seems to notice his lingering stare and realizes that his glamour is down. He quickly closes his eyes to summon some of the regained magic to put it back up.

 

    “N-No, don’t!” Alec stammered quickly as he fumbled closer, nearly falling off the bed in the process. “Don’t! Just.. let me—let look at them…”

 

    Magnus’ eyebrows draw together in confusion, his shoulders tensing up, as his eyes remain closed.

 

    “Please, Magnus… You’ve never let me look at them. I just wanna see them…”

 

    It’s a tense moment of silence and stillness before a sigh of defeat leaves Magnus’ parted lips. The warlock begins to move his body and Alec quickly helps to guide him up into a seated position. Magnus hesitates for another second before he slowly opens his eyes. Alec emits a quiet gasp in awe once he’s welcomed with the sight of them. He’s only seen them briefly, and from a distance, so he was never able to actually study them up close until now.

 

    He could see the subtle hues of gold crashing into each other in waves like a paintbrush spilling watercolors on a canvas. He could see the faint dust of silver and green embedded in the hues. He could see his the shimmer of apprehension staring back at him.

 

    “You’re not…” Magnus trailed off, voice laced with insecurity. “You’re not… scared?”

 

    “Of what?” Alec says distantly, a smile slowly blooming on his face. “Of your eyes? Are you kidding?”

 

    Magnus silences and quickly looks away from him, curling into himself a little bit. Alec shifts forward to cup Magnus’ cheek in his palm.

 

    “Look at me” he gently coaxes, “Magnus, look at me.”

 

    Magnus slowly pivoted his body to face him. The apprehension was still there but it was beginning to get clouded by both fear and tears. So Alec shifts even closer as his own smile broadens, thumb gently tracing the soft flesh on his cheekbone.

 

    “Magnus,” he effuses, “they’re beautiful.  _ You’re _ beautiful.”

 

    The second those words leaves his mouth, the tears fell. Magnus smiles through them however, openly and free and sincere and, for once, happy. Genuinely happy. 

 

    Magnus had only used his cat eyes to intimidate those who threatened or provoked him. It would always work on scaring them off rather quickly, even the toughest ones, because they knew the second they saw those eyes, he was no longer the High Warlock. He was the Prince of Hell. 

 

    So that’s what he used them for; to initiate fear in others, but whenever he’d look in a mirror and see them himself, even he was scared. He knew what he was: a monster. He didn’t need his eyes, or the entire world, to tell him that.

 

    However, Alec was so sincere in his words, so careful and calculated as he spoke them. He didn’t seem scared at all of Magnus. Not of his status, not of his crown (both literally and figuratively), and surely not of his cat eyes. He seemed entranced, thrilled and curious to know more, to seek more; to let his sunrays light up even the darkest parts of Magnus.

 

    “You’re so beautiful” Alec proclaimed. Their lips brushed together and Magnus could taste the peppermint that still lingered there. “The most beautiful person I’ve ever met…”

 

_     Person. _

 

    Magnus emits a quiet sob.

 

    Alec considered him an actual being with a beating heart, with feelings and emotions and thoughts—not a monster like everyone perceived him as. Not as a Prince of Hell or as a High Warlock, but as a person, albeit a broken person looking to be whole once again—but  _ as a person _ nonetheless.

 

    Magnus’ heart swells in an emotion that appeared vaguely foreign. He couldn’t quite put his tongue on it. Although when Alec swoops in to kiss him breathlessly, Magnus had an idea n what that emotion was.

 

    Love.

 

    He was falling in love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this wasn't up earlier. I meant to upload it by Monday but then it got pushed to Tuesday but now it's Wednesday, and lemme tell ya, try proof-reading your chapter with a year old doxen trying to crawl all over your lap every 5 minutes and lick your face. Yeah. I adore that dog, though he does this to me EVERY TIME.
> 
> Also... how are yall doing? [upside down smiley face emoji] With the whole, ya know, Asmodeus returning and wanting to beat his rather attractive face into oblivion for what he's doing to Malec. All I'm seeing on my Twitter feed are memes about that moment when Asmodeus offered Magnus a pretzel in the sneak peak and I'm cracking up. I love this fandom.
> 
> Lowkey hated the Clace clubbing scene, I dunno about you guys. But the whole "hey let's drink this weird fucking drug raining from the sky that we have NO IDEA what the effects are and just make out on the dance floor without complete consent because why tf not". Like no. I didn't like that scene. I didn't find it hot. Not because I'm an "anti-Clace" shipper, so before yall @ me with that, but because I don't condone a drug-induced makeout on the floor with zero consent : )
> 
> I mean that's just MY opinion.
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> also can jordan like fuck off and leave maia alone  
> that whole relationship is toxic like ??? he abused her ??? and now suddenly she's "fine" despite having to leave the room and getting an anxiety attack because of him ???
> 
> i'm slightly disappointed in the show rn tbh not gonna lie


	6. there's no escape (when fire meets fate)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Like gravity from underneath  
> We can't outrun our destiny  
> It's in our flesh, it's in our blood  
> This reckoning has just begun  
> There's no escape  
> When fire meets fate  
> There's no escape"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tweet at me @itsamalecthing with your thoughts and/or use the hashtag #WoHfic! Hope you enjoy
> 
> [ you can kill me later  
> but i promise you, the next chapter won't be any better... ]

When Magnus wakes up the next morning, he’s no longer laying in the hospital bad anymore. It confuses him for a second, but then he lets his blurry vision focus on his surroundings and he realizes that he’s in Alec’s bedroom. In Alec’s bed. _Alone._ For a minute, he’s a little offended though with a glance over at the clock hanging on the wall, he duly reminds himself that the Shadowhunter is the Head of an Institute and couldn’t sleep in until noon like Magnus just did.

 

    Running his palm down his face, he groans quietly and flops back down on to the rather comfortable and warm sheets. He doesn’t feel like moving. He doesn’t feel like doing  _ anything _ . Magnus could still feel the lingering soreness in his muscles, the slight dizziness, and the ache in his joints—he was still weak after what happened the other day. He practically drained himself dry of magic, something he’s never done before which is probably why it’s taking a bit of a toll on his body. 

 

    After refusing to move for another half an hour or so, Magnus forces himself into the shower and internally hopes that Alec doesn’t mind. The warm water hitting his skin makes him heave out a sigh. He closes his eyes and basks in the steam, head tipped back as his left hand raises to gently soothe the ache in his right shoulder. The trickles of water rain down on his naked figure, smoothing over the expanse of his flawless caramel skin. 

 

    The heat suddenly reminds him of something. Or, some _ one _ . 

 

    Alec.

 

    The mere thought of the male’s name has a smile slowly tugging at the corner of Magnus’ lips.

 

    Alexander was a rather interesting Nephilim. There seemed to be two sides of him; the Head of the Institute and the man that loved to read books. The difference between the two images were outrageously vast.

 

    When it came to picturing Head of the Institute Alexander, Magnus thought of straight shoulders and head held high. He thought of the stoic expression, the permanent frown, the focused hazel eyes, and those eyebrows above them drawn together in a smooth line. He thought of Alec standing at the top stairs regarding the crowd of Shadowhunters with his hands behind his back and the husky tone he used to assert command. Magnus pictures the monotone clothes he’d wear; all black. An outfit like that, Magnus ought to be flabbergasted; the fashionista in him would’ve went through Alec’s closet to bring in “some more color” to his life. But the outfits Alec’s been wearing lately, despite the singular color, was fitting. The color suited him completely and it would always leave Magnus a little breathless despite its simplicity.

 

    And yet when it came to picturing the man who loved to read books, now that’s where things get interesting. Magnus could see it now: Alec lounging comfortably in the hammock on his patio that was attached to his office ( _ another _ new addition, thank you Ragnor) with a book in his hands—Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets—as he basks in the spring sunlight, enjoying the gentle warm breeze as it rustles through his messy raven locks. Magnus pictures Alec wearing a simple v-neck shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, exposing the runes littered on his skin and a pair of dark grey sweats. He’d imagine the calmness, the tranquility in Alec’s face as his eyes scanned the words on each page. The lack of stress and focus, making his shoulders less tense than usual, as he instead reads one of his favorite books and tunes out the world around him.

 

    Magnus wasn’t sure which side he liked more. While Head of the Institute Alec was strikingly gorgeous in every move he made, the softer man that sat in the hammock reading a book is what makes Magnus want to curl into the hammock as well.

 

    He sure as hell didn’t picture himself falling for someone—a  _ Nephilim _ at that. Centuries ago, Magnus swore to himself that he’d never trust a Shadowhunter, not after what they put him through when he was enslaved. With his experience there with the Clave, he was sure every Shadowhunter out there thought, moved, and acted just like them. Of course it was centuries ago and change happens, evolution happens—and if Alec has taught Magnus anything,  _ revolution _ happens. There’s no doubt in his mind that there are other Nephilim’s out there that still agree with the Clave, he’s still sure there are still active Circle members as well despite Valentine’s death, but Alec has shown him that there also Nephilim’s that don’t agree.

 

    Deciding that he’s showered long enough, Magnus steps out of the bath and dries himself off with an irresistibly soft towel that smelled like the sandalwood scented shampoo Alec uses.

 

    Alec’s scent is everywhere, of course, it’s his room after all. But it’s embedded in his clothes, in his towels, in the books he has on his shelves, in the  _ bed sheets _ Magnus was sleeping in.

 

    A sudden strike of a thought makes Magnus pause as he steps into his pants.

 

    This would’ve been like the third time Magnus has ended up in Alec’s bed. And passion didn’t even bring him there.

 

    A heat crawls up to Magnus’ cheeks and he shakes his head out of his reverie, snapping himself away from those sensual thoughts.

 

    They’ve kissed. Twice. When Magnus was a wreck, seeking comfort in a man that wiggled his way past his walls. So Magnus wondered what it was like to actually  _ kiss _ him. No mental breakdown, no anxiety, no war hanging above their heads—he just wants to kiss Alec and feel at peace while doing it.

 

    His eyes fleetingly glance over at Alec’s closet, noticing that the door was left ajar. His eyebrows raise as he continues to stare at it for another moment before finally caving. He probably shouldn’t, but he couldn’t help it. So he silently shuffles over to the closet and gently pushes the door open. As he expected, there’s more dark shirts hanging in there. Blacks, hues of greys—hey, there’s even a few whites in there. Look at that.

 

    Magnus lifts a hand and gently runs it across the collection of shirts, feeling the fabric of each one carefully before moving on to the next. His hand stops when his fingertips graze against the softest fabric out of the entire wardrobe. With a careful grip, he grabs the hanger and pulls the shirt out to further examine it. It’s a turtleneck. Black with small accents of deep red that practically blended in. At the end of the sleeves were cuffs with a small, golden button keeping the flaps together. It was such a simple yet elegant piece that Magnus wondered what Alec would look like wearing.

 

    He takes it off of the hanger carefully so he doesn’t risk stretching the fabric and slips it on. It’s a perfect fit. It slides smoothly over his shoulders, hugging his arms with a loose yet firm hold. With a glance in the body length mirror, he realizes that the sweater outlines his torso like it was made for him but it also accents what Magnus already has. Realizing his outfit is missing a few things, Magnus looks around briefly before spotting his jewelry on the nightstand. He walks over to it and begins putting his rings and necklaces on before putting his crown on top of his head—duly noting that the crystal matches the red accents on the shirt. He takes final look in the mirror and lightly smiles to himself.

 

    “Perfect,” he whispers in admiration as his hands smooth the shirt over his chest.

 

    As he leaves the bedroom, noticing that no one was occupying Alec’s office, Magnus lets his mind wander as he makes his way towards the ops room.

 

    How would Alec react once he realizes Magnus is wearing one of his shirts? Well, he’s about to find out.

 

    When he walks into the ops room, he slows his steps until he comes to a complete stop. He watches the bustle of Shadowhunters moving around him, scanning every face in hopes of finding some familiar ones.

 

    “Can I help you?” A figure appears in Magnus’ peripheral vision and he turns his head to glance at the person, only to freeze when his eyes land on Underhill. Underhill’s steps hiccup as he realizes who he’s talking to, his blue eyes widening a little. Magnus takes a small step back as he regards the male wearily.

 

    The last time they interacted… was when Underhill had been possessed.

 

    “No.” Magnus rejects tersely. “And I’d prefer if you’d stay away from me.”

 

    “Look,” Underhill takes a cautious step forward before holding his hands up in surrender when Magnus glares at him and takes a step back in return, “I just wanted to apologize. I just—”

 

    “Possessing demons choose their victims carefully” Magnus cuts in as his eyes slowly scan the man in front of him in disdain. “They go after their victim's weak points, targeting their inner fears and insecurities… You saw me as a threat, and the demon used that to its advantage.”

 

    “Look, I—”

 

    Magnus takes a step forward. “Do you see me as a threat because I’m a Prince of Hell? Or,” he drops his tone considerably as he flicks his eyes up to meet his gaze, “because Alec’s attention is no longer on  _ you _ , but on me?”

 

    Something flickers in Underhill’s gaze and he straightens his posture as he grits out “I couldn’t care less if you were a Prince of Hell or not. We’re not supposed to let Downworlders in the Institute.”

 

    The warlock lightly chuckles and folds his arms across his chest, amused when Underhill chooses to dodge the question. “You must be blind then—Simon is here pretty much 24/7 and you seem to have  _ no problem _ with him. However, in case you need a reminder, Alexander is leading a rebellion against the Clave.” A pause. “Maybe if you weren’t too busy fucking Meredith, you’d notice.”

 

    Magnus watches the anger flare in Underhill’s eyes with amusement. A muscle in Underhill’s jaw flexes and he lets out a strained huff; looking as if he’s struggling in holding himself back from something. His eyes glance around to make sure no one is looking at them before he moves closer, closing the gap between his own body and Magnus’.

 

“Possessed or not,” Underhill begins in a hushed tone “I know you don’t deserve Alec.”

 

“Maybe I don’t” Magnus agrees, eyes never leaving Underhill’s in a silent challenge “But that’s not your decision to make, now is it?”

 

    “You’re the High Warlock. A Prince of Hell. You hate Shadowhunters with a passion, and you expect me to accept the fact that Alec wants  _ you _ _?_ Of all the people here?” Underhill fumes. He lifts a hand and jabs his finger into Magnus’ chest. “He doesn’t like you, you naive warlock. He’s only using you and keeping you close—you’re literally a pawn in his game of chess. You have no chance.”

 

    “How about you stop talking as if he still belongs to you” Magnus suggests in a hiss as he smacks Underhill’s hand away. “You don’t control him, and you can’t fill my head with any more of your bullshit. I know you’re only here standing in front of me to intimidate me,  _ not _ to apologize for what happened. But let me tell you something, you pathetic Nephilim.” He shoves at Underhill’s chest, sending the man stumbling backwards. “You’re right—I  _ am _ the High Warlock and I  _ am _ a Prince of Hell. I know I’m still quite magically depleted at the moment but I’m pretty sure I can flatten you to the ground like the bug you are. So, by all means, if you wish to continue this embarrassing act of ‘asserting dominance’, then let’s take this outside, shall we? Surely you don’t wish everyone to witness me, a  _ naive little warlock _ , give you a taste of your own medicine.” Magnus lets a grin tug at his lips.  _ “Again.” _

 

    Underhill says nothing but the look in his eyes says it all.

 

    “Is there a problem?” Jace inquires as he slowly steps toward them. Magnus regards him with a brief glance, and then notices that their little argument had gained a crowd.

 

    “Underhill here seems to not like my presence.” Magnus says as he folds his arms across his chest. “And questions my place at Alec’s side.”

 

    “He’s not the judge of that” Alec storms past Jace to stand in between Underhill and Magnus. When he turns his head to glance at Magnus, he has to do a double take. “Is that… my sweater?”

 

    Magnus’ tense expression softens slowly as their eyes meet. “I hope you don’t mind.”

 

    A lopsided grin tugs at Alec’s lips along with the gentle hue of pink dusting on his cheeks is the only answer Magnus gets.

 

    “He doesn't belong here!” Underhill’’s shout causes the grin to immediately disappear from Alec’s face. With an annoyed little huff, Alec fixes the lapels of his jacket before he pivots around to face him.

 

    “ _ You _ don’t belong here” Alec interrupts. “Do I have to dismiss you from duty? For the fifth this time year?”

 

    Underhill ignores Alec’s small jab and steps towards Magnus, pointing accusingly at the warlock as he fumes, “He’s a Prince of Hell and he’s walking around  _ our _ Institute unguarded! He thinks he’s all high and mighty but he’s just a self-righteous asshole!” Alec’s expression darkens. “Here he is, prancing around in here like he owns the place, like he owns the entire fucking world and want everyone he crosses paths with to bow at him. I can’t fucking stand it anymore, Alec, I can’t stand him! If you’re not going to give him up to the Clave,  _ I _ will.”

 

    Alec’s shoulders tighten and the entire atmosphere changes. Magnus could feel it; the suffocating  _ rage _ bellowing off of Alec. He shifts on his feet a little, uneasy at the thick tension hanging in the air. Alec slowly moves forward, steps calculated and threatening, until he’s up in Underhill’s space.

 

    “I dare you to try.” He challenges darkly.

 

    Underhill gulps as he visibly cowers under Alec’s intense gaze. The reverie is unceremoniously broken by the entrance doors slamming open. Jace frowns, perplexed, when a group of Seelie knights storm in, so he breaks through the crowd to approach Meliorn.

 

    “Meliorn? What are you doing here?”

 

    “The Seelie Queen as heard about the High Warlock making his first appearance in centuries” Meliorn explains, dipping his head to Jace in a small greeting. “And wishes to meet him.”

 

    “So you think storming into the Institute with no invitation or warning is going to gain her that privilege?” Rafael monotones.

 

    Meliorn looks at him, eyebrow raised. “She’s already here.”

 

    Alec glances behind Meliorn and spots the Queen standing behind him patiently with her hands folded in front of her. “Meliorn” he warns “you  _ know _ she’s not welcome in my Institute.”

 

    “Apologizes, Lightwood, but I don’t serve you.” Meliorn counters. “I serve the Queen, and the Queen wished to come here. Is that him behind you?”

 

    With a deep sigh, Alec turns to look back at Magnus. He raises his eyebrow at him in a silent question. Magnus swallows, looking uneasy and severely uncomfortable, and takes a careful step forward to make himself more visible to Queen’s sight. Once he comes into full view, she positively _beams_ at him.

 

    “Magnus.” She moves around Meliorn to begin approaching him. “How good it is to see you after all these years.”

 

    Jace’s arm shooting out prevents her from getting any closer. “You’re on our turf. You’re not a Queen here, you’re a  _ guest _ . So I’d like to remind you that we’re allowing this little reunion to happen but at Magnus’ word.”

 

    She levels him with a sharp look but the form she chose—her signature young girl image—does little to deter Jace away. She sighs in defeat and turns her attention back to the warlock.

 

    “How have you been, old friend?”

 

    Magnus snorts at the word ‘friend’ and resists the urge to roll his eyes. “‘Friend’? Don’t make me laugh, darling. We were never friends.”

 

    “But we were imprisoned together” she frowns, a look of confusion flitting across her face. “Do you not remember?”

 

    “Of course I remember, but I don’t need you throwing that in my face either.” Magnus scolds calmly. “What I also remember is you  _ selling me out _ to the Clave.” At this, Alec turns to her with an unimpressed scowl. “Which makes me confused on why you think you can come here, demand to see me, and call me an ‘old friend’ when you’re the cause of the torment I endured by the Clave.”

 

    “I didn’t sell you out” She dismisses with a chuckle “We were cellmates and we were both looking to escape—what reason would I have to sell you out?”

 

    Magnus gives her a look. “Because I flattened your precious little Nephilim lover with a flick of the wrist after he nearly killed my friend. We all know you hold grudges,  _ your highness _ , don’t pretend to be innocent. It sickens me. You may have been my cell mate, but it doesn’t mean you didn’t agree with the Clave enslaving my kind. But why are you here? Surely, your wish isn't to speak with me.”

 

    "But of course it is!" She bursts, holding her arms open. "What's in the past is in the past, Magnus, sure I'd hope you'd realize that. Can't you find it in yourself to forgive me? What I did was stupid and petty. He was a guard, yes, and he was doing his duty, yes. Did he deserve what you gave him? Probably. Did you deserve getting outed to the Clave? Well only a little. You _did_ kill a guard. Someone would've noticed and put two and two together eventually."  


 

    “Meliorn?” Isabelle joins in. “You serve  _ her _ ? I thought you were better than this.”

 

    Something shifts in Meliorn’s expression and he almost looks guilty. “Izzy—”

 

    She holds a hand up, cutting him off. “You lost your right to call me that long ago.”

 

    “I was wondering if you’d like to join me for a cup of tea, Magnus” The Queen interjects with step. “And maybe we could… talk it out.”

 

    Alec exhales as he stands in front of Magnus, blocking him from her path. “Magnus is still recovering from a traumatic experience. He doesn’t seem all too thrilled to see you here, so with that, I’m going to have to escort you all out. Now.”

 

    One of the Seelie knights step forward and press the tip of his spear to Alec’s chest. “One does not order our Queen. She can do as she pleases.”

 

    Alec looks down at the spear with an eyebrow raised, not even fazed at all. Magnus gasps quietly and immediately moves forward, Alec’s name leaving him in a shocked exclaim. He’s stopped just a hair from Alec when another knight presses the spear into his chest as well. The knight shifts his spear against Alec’s chest but before he could move, or do anything, a crack of a whip resonates through the room. Alec watches as Isabelle wraps her whip around the spear and yank it away from his chest.

  
  


[ mood ↺ “salute” by little mix ]

  
  


    Isabelle storms forward, cracking her whip menacingly against the group and creating gashes in the marble flooring. The knights back away with each threatening crack. She stop slapping her whip against the ground and instead glares daggers at them. Alec moves backwards to Magnus’ side, wrapping a protective arm around the warlock, as he watches his mother and Clary join his sister’s side.

 

    “Bad move you did there” Clary says as she pulls out her two swords, twirling them around her hands.

 

    “Threatening the Head of the Institute? My  _ son _ _?_ ” Maryse drawls. “Now you’re asking for a fight.”

 

    The Queen takes a step back. “Protect your Queen!” She orders and her Knights quickly surround her in a protective circle. Isabelle turns her head to look back at Alec, silently asking him permission. He meets her gaze and gives her a curt nod.

 

    “I think it’s time we  _ show you _ that you’re not welcome here.” She announces with a grin. “Since none of you can seem to grasp words.”

 

    Magnus’ eyebrows shot up at the watches the three females take on the group of Knights headstrong. It seems that they’ve paid more attention to Catarina’s training lessons, and it definitely shows as Isabelle’s whip wraps around a knight’s throat. He watches her yank the knight with a mighty pull and he goes flying through the air before colliding with a nearby wall. Maryse is a mighty hand-to-hand combat fighter with the strength of a thousand men and the swiftness of a snake; dodging and weaving her way through the crowd of knights with such gracefulness that a Lightwood could only possess (he now knows where Alec gets it from). Meanwhile, Clary is using one of her blades to block blows and the other to give her own hits.

 

    “That’s my girl.” Jace grins as he continues watching Clary move and bend her body.

 

    Simon makes a noise of agreement. “We’re dating some badass girls. Makes me feel worthless.”

 

    “Well, you know we could always train you as well.” Jace offers sincerely. Simon looks at him, surprise evident in his expression. “I mean, you’re here all the time and I can see the itch you have to join in on a fight. I’m sure Izzy wouldn’t mind—she’d be thrilled, actually.”

 

    “Alright” Simon agrees, smile slowly blooming on his expression. “But I want the best to train me.”

 

    Jace snorts with a roll of his eyes. “And I assume you mean Izzy herself?”

 

    Simon recoils like he was just offended. “No. I mean Magnus.”

 

    Magnus looks at him, eyebrow raised but with a semi-smug smirk on his lips. Jace gives Simon a “are you kidding me?” look. Simon sends Magnus a cheeky wink.

 

    “I’m sure Cat and Ragnor will gladly train you,” affirms Magnus. “I highly doubt you’d be capable to handling me right off the bat. I mean, you saw what happened in the courtyard. And I was  _ blindfolded _ .”

 

_     “My icon” _ Simon groans. “You’re like way cooler than Captain America. And that says something.”

 

    Their conversation gets interrupted with Meliorn sliding across to the floor only to stop at their feet. Alec tilts his head down at him before he glances up, spotting his sister giving the man at his feet a seething look. The only one left standing now was the Queen, who stood a little shaken but still holding her ground.

 

    “Get. Out.” Isabelle enunciated. “Consider yourself kicked out of the Downworlder Council.”

 

    Meliorn gathers himself slowly, eyes downcast. He refuses to meet anyone’s gaze as he helps up his fellow fallen knights. Once they’re all standing, he puts an arm around his Queen and coaxes her stubborn self to leave the Institute.

 

    “While I did enjoy the show,” Alec starts “I have a shit ton of paperwork and reports to file. So, if anyone needs me, I’ll be crammed up in my office.” Before he leaves, he turns to Magnus with a gentle expression. “If you need me, you know where to find me.”

 

    His words send a sense of déjà vu through Magnus and he can’t help the flutter of his heart. “I know, Alexander.”

 

    The use of his full name makes Alec grin. He licks his lips before leaning forward. Magnus briefly wonders if he’s going to kiss him, right then and there in front of everyone, but at the last second, Alec turns his head to instead bring his lips to the shell of his ear.

 

_     What a tease. _

 

    “By the way” Alec murmurs, purposely brushing his lips against Magnus’ earlobe. He grins at the barely-contained shudder. “You look  _ really _ good in my clothes.”

 

    When Alec pulls away and their eyes meet, Magnus feels a lick of heat flare up his spine. Alec’s hazel eyes are blown out a little bit and he looks just as eager to kiss him as much as Magnus does. But Alec doesn’t allow the pleasure of that. He simply sends a suggestive wink his way before he leaves towards his office.

 

    “I would say ‘get a room’ but,” Jace playfully teases, throwing his arm casually around Magnus’ shoulder, “been there done that.” He grunts when Magnus elbows him harshly in the ribs, missing the shade of scarlet on the warlock’s cheeks.

 

* * *

 

    Alec is  _ swamped _ with paperwork. He belatedly realizes he may just be here all damn day and it only makes his headache even worse. He’s been sitting at his desk for hours by now and he’s only been able to make a small dent in the work he’s got to do. To his credit, he did manage to submit 50 out of the 75 reports by now and took care of the first two piles of paperwork out of the four on his desk. 

 

    “Knock knock” Isabelle chimes as she pops her head into the door-frame. He relaxes at the sight of her and sinks back into his chair with a deep sigh. She giggles quietly and walks into the room, carrying a tray of food with her.

 

    “You didn’t have to bring me dinner, Izzy.” He counters gently. She gives him a sharp look while placing the tray down in front of him.

 

    “You’ve been at this for at least 7 hours straight, Alec” she points out flatly. “You haven’t even eaten. Take a break.”

 

    Alec lowers the glass of water and swallows the liquid before he speaks, “And who will finish all of this,” a vague hand gesture to the paperwork in front of him, “shit?”

 

    Isabelle raises an amused eyebrow. “Mom will. You know she doesn’t mind doing your paperwork, Alec.”

 

    “Mom is busy training everyone on how to fight Asmodei.” Alec retorts. “I’m sure she’s got her hands full right now.”

 

    “As do you!” Isabelle huffs, throwing her arms up in the air. “You’ve got more work on your shoulders than she does. At least let her help lessen your load so you could get a proper meal in your system. Don’t make me go get Magnus.”

 

    At her lighthearted taunt, he snaps his head up and squints at her. She grins cheekily at him and folds her arms across her chest.

 

    “I’m sure he’d force feed you.”

 

    Alec rolls his eyes. “Don’t bring Magnus into this, please, Izzy.” He takes a bite out of the sandwich and lets out a quiet, satisfied moan at the taste. “Where is he anyways?”

 

    Isabelle hums idly as she looks around his office. “He’s watching Catarina and Ragnor train Mikael and everyone else. Mom’s there too—I’ll go get her. You” she points a warning digit at him, “continue eating and don’t you dare touch anything else except for what’s on that tray.”

 

    He chuckles and waves her off with his free hand, for his other hand is holding the glass of water to his lips. She smiles sweetly at him and spins on her heels to promptly leave the room, leaving the door open behind her. He shakes his head as he brings his chair closer to his desk. A wave of warmth filling his chest as he observes the food on the plate. She had prepared his favorite meal; a turkey sandwich with crisp lettuce, fresh tomato, some pickles, and mustard. There was also some lightly salted curly fries as a side and a small salad as well.

 

    It was rare that Alec allowed himself to divulge into a full meal. He was always so preoccupied with other things, the Clave being one of them. So he’s glad that he’s got someone like his sister looking out for him; making sure to butt in with reminders of sleep, a good shower, a break, and of course, meals.

 

    He’s got a fry half-way in his mouth when a figure timidly steps through his doorway. He glances up and stops mid chew when his eyes land on Underhill. It’s silent between the two, neither of them speaking as Underhill lingers in the doorway. Alec leans back slowly as begins chewing once again. The action is enough for Underhill to step further into his office with a small breathe, hand lifting to rub the side of his neck.

 

    “Look, Alec, I just came here to apologize.” He begins. Alec remains silent, gaze scrutinizing and intimidating. “My behavior, especially as of lately, has been unruly and absurd. I shouldn’t be acting like the way I’m acting with everything that’s going on. You have so much to worry about, and I’m only adding to the mess. And…” he trails off for a moment and heaves out a sigh, as if what he’s about to say is taking a lot out of him. “And Magnus is only here to help. That’s all he’s been doing since he got here. His presence here, it’s… it’s made an impact on all of us. 

 

    Down there, watching him interact with everyone as he gives them tips on how to block a blow better, I can see the change he’s creating. He’s changing everyone’s point of view on Warlocks. He’s paving the way for his own kind and I don’t think he realizes that.

 

    I understand I’m not in the place or right position to ask for forgiveness, I’m way beyond that and I completely accept that, but… I really am sorry. For everything.”

 

    Alec emits a quiet hum. He grabs a napkin and wipes his mouth. “That’s a hell of a speech, Underhill. I appreciate it, but… I’m not the only one you should be apologizing to.”

 

    “I know, I know” Underhill blabbers quickly. “I’m working on an apology to Magnus. But it won’t be easy—he hates me, so I’ll have to be thorough with my words.”

 

    “You should’ve realized that before you provoked him in the middle of the ops room.”

 

    Underhill groans, running a hand over his face. “I know,  _ I know _ _!_ I just… By the Angel, I didn’t know what got into me. I did mean to apologize earlier but then he… then he mentioned that Possessing Demons choose their targets and that the thing picked on my biggest insecurity.”

 

    Alec raises his eyebrows at this and stands from his desk. “Your biggest insecurity… is Magnus?”

 

    “Gods, no.” Underhill chuckled; a bitter sound leaving him. “You are.” At Alec’s confused expression, Underhill elaborates, “What I did… to you, to _us_ , is unforgivable. And that’s on me. A simple apology won’t fix things and I know it’s all beyond forgiveness. I just… I was afraid, I guess. Afraid of losing you to someone that I thought was better than me. You meant the world to me, Alec, and I ruined it out of paranoia that my own insecurity caused. That night when,” he swallows and looks away from Alec’s troubled expression, “when I hit you, I… I immediately regretted it. I dug myself a bigger hole that night and it’s something I can never take back. I went to the Hunter’s Moon. I was completely wasted when I slept with Meredith. I didn’t even remember that night at all, not until a couple days later when Meredith went around the Institute stating that we’ve been dating the entire time behind your back. I came to your office to try to explain myself but instead we got into a fight, I lost my temper, and ended up getting pummeled by your siblings.”

 

    Alec chuckles a little at the memory. He moves around his desk to instead lean against the front of it; still keeping the distance between him and Underhill but not at all ending this closure session that he knew he needed despite everything being done between the two of them.

 

    "You pretty much asked for it the second Clary got mentioned.” Alec comments.

 

    Underhill makes a “touche” expression and falls silent for a short second. “I asked for it, yeah. That’s definitely something I deserved and it really did work on snapping me out of it. It didn’t take me long to pick myself up and realize how much pain I’ve caused you.”

 

    Alec closes his eyes, tensing his jaw. “Don’t” he says quietly, “ _ Don’t. _ I know where this is going.”

 

    “Alec” Underhill’s voice is now suddenly too close. It causes the said male to snap his eyes open and nearly recoil at the sight of Underhill so close. “I’m sorry… For everything that I’ve done. I should’ve just… talked it all out with you instead of shutting you out in the most violent way and I-I can never forgive myself. But please, I beg of you, never doubt my love for you.”

 

    “Underhill—”

 

    “I  _ still _ love you, Alec!” Underhill declares as his hands shoot up to cup Alec’s face. “And I know you do too. I just know it—I can see it in your eyes, Alec. I know I messed up and I know I don’t deserve anything good coming from you but… please, just… give me a second chance—let me make amends. Let me fix everything. Please, Alexander,  _ I miss you.” _

 

    Something churns in Alec’s gut. He’s never let anyone use his full name, not since after the whole ordeal with Underhill went down months ago. Magnus was the first to address him like so and it filled him with a sense of security. Magnus was Alec’s safe haven; someone who made Alec feel comfortable and relaxed when it came to physical contact instead of tense and skittish. But hearing his full name slip off of his abuser’s tongue so fluidly like that made Alec angry. It filled him with disgust and flared ominously in his chest.

 

    Before Underhill could lean in completely, taking Alec’s silence as consent, something in Alec snaps. He dodges the attempted kiss and jams his knee in Underhill’s groin. The man doubles over and Alec takes his stance to his advantage by roughly slamming Underhill’s face into his desk. He hears the crack of Underhill’s nose breaking from underneath his shout of pain and watches him crumble to the ground in a pitiful heap.

 

    “You touch me again like that and I’ll let my own mother cut your fingers off.” Alec snarls. “You have no right. No right coming in here like that, expecting some kind of reaction out of me! I don’t love you anymore, Underhill, let me make that as clear as I can for that pea-sized brain of yours.” He lifts a leg to roughly nudge the man on the floor over so he could stare in his eyes. “The second you put your hand on me, I stopped loving you. The second you called Clary a whore, I stopped respecting you. The second you decided to put  _ my  _ life choices in your own hands and declared who will or won’t be good enough for me is when I stopped viewing you as a person.” Alec takes a firm step forward and drops his tone to a foreboding pitch. “Ever touch me again, ever disrespect my  _ family _ , and if you  _ ever _ think you can try to push Magnus away from me, I will personally de-rune and exile you myself.”

 

    A wounded sound leaves Underhill’s lips and he downright looks like a kicked puppy from his spot on the floor; the blood pooling out of his obviously broken nose and the tears filling his eyes. It’s a pitiful sight, really, but Alec can’t help but swell a little in pride. After the beatings he took from Underhill (emotionally, mentally, and physically), Alec  _ finally _ got to land a blow of his own. He finally got to fully stand his ground against the man who broke him, shattered him. He finally got to stand in front of him, stronger than ever and more defiant than he used to be.

 

    And  _ damn _ , it felt good.

 

    “Alec?” He heard his mother call for him but ignored it for now. He didn’t know how long she’d been standing there, or how much she saw, but he didn’t care.

 

    “Get out of my sight.” Alec commands, tone leaving no room for argument. “You’re dismissed indefinitely from duty.”

 

    Underhill remains on the ground for a couple more seconds, staring up at Alec like he just ripped his heart out, shoved it in a blender, and set it on high. When he saw Alec’s unchanging expression, he finally realized that Alec actually meant it and was more than willing to physically escort him out if he didn’t haul his ass out himself. So with shaking legs, Underhill stands slowly before dashing past Maryse and Isabelle and running down the hallway with a hand covering his bleeding nose. The second he’s out of the room, Alec’s stance relaxes and he sighs.

 

    “What happened?” Isabelle asks in bewilderment. “We heard a yell and came in to see him on the floor with a bloody nose!”

 

    “He tried to kiss me” Alec clarifies after a moment. “Tried to… convince me to give him a second chance. So I nailed him in the dick and broke his nose.”

 

    Maryse makes a “huh” noise as a look of pride blooms on her face. Isabelle looks proud for a second before her expression changes. She approaches her brother with a look of tension, touching his shoulder with her fingertips once she reaches him.

 

    “As proud as I am, I believe there’s just a bit of a situation.” She intones quietly. He turns to her, eyebrows drawn together. “We passed by Magnus before we heard the shout… He looked upset, Alec.”

 

    Alec stares at her for a couple of seconds as his mind works. Then it hits him.

 

    “Oh no” He breathed and quickly rushes out of the room. Magnus must’ve witnessed everything. He must’ve heard Underhill’s confession, must’ve heard Alec’s silence, and probably missed the part when Alec bounced the man’s head off of his desk.

 

    Alec’s mind races with panic as he runs through the Institute, searching for the face that never ceased to make him weak in the knees. He runs down corridors, looks around each corner, and goes to several places where he’d be certain Magnus was. But he was never there. Deciding to take his search elsewhere, Alec promptly leaves the Institute and runs full speed towards the apartment complex that stood as a front, a mere entrance to Magnus’ realm. He zooms past the people of Brooklyn, unseen and unnoticed, as he goes. Dodging cars and on-coming traffic, he runs carelessly through the streets until his eyes finally catch on a familiar figure a few yards ahead of him.

 

    “Magnus!” He shouts, weaving his way through a particularly tough crowd, before breaking out into a run. Magnus’ shoulders stiffen for a second before he starts walking faster. He has half of a mind to lift a hand and create a portal but before he could even do that, Alec’s hands are on him, spinning him around.

 

    “Magnus, wait, lemme explain—”

 

    “No need” Magnus curtly dismisses, lifting a hand to gently remove Alec’s hand from his shoulder. “I heard all that I needed to.”

 

    “Magnus, surely you can’t be convinced that I still—”

 

    Magnus holds up a hand, silencing Alec’s blabbering immediately. “I have no doubt in my mind that you don’t love him anymore, Alexander. Underhill is acting just like Camille did so, believe me, I know what you’re going through.”

 

    Alec allows himself to relax a little. “S-So… you’re not angry with me then?”

 

    “No.” Magnus answers after a moment, face twisting in vexation. “I’m angry with  _ myself _ .”

 

    “I don’t understand,” Alec murmurs in confusion. “What do you mean?”

 

    “I allowed you in, Alexander…” Magnus swallows. “I allowed you to be close enough to break down my walls. I should’ve known. I should’ve known better to not get so…  _ attached _ to you, but I… if Underhill is right about one thing, it’s that I don’t deserve you. You deserve better, Alexander. You deserve someone who isn’t a broken, ugly mess like myself. You deserve to be happy with someone who is happy with themselves and I… I am not that person. I am a mess, Alexander, and you don’t need another mess in your life.”

 

    “No, no, Magnus—no, please” Alec begs as he tries to step closer. “If anyone deserve to be happy it’s you! It’s _you_ , Magnus! You deserve so much and I can—I can give it to you. I can give it to you just please, _please_ don’t give up.” Magnus inhales sharply and looks away, trying to tune on Alec’s desperate rattling as he feels tears stinging in his eyes. “Magnus, I’ve seen you at your weakest. I’ve seen you at your most vulnerable but that doesn’t mean you’re unworthy of love. You’ve went through so so much that you- that you almost forgot what it was like to be loved, to have someone genuinely care for you and- and _I can_ _be_ that person, Magnus! Please, just- just let me in, Magnus, let me… _let me love you_ , damn it.” Alec is panting heavily now, emotions running high as he could feel his own tears of desperation spilling down his cheeks. He was shaking with adrenaline, thoughts whirling crazily around in his head.

 

    “Let me love you” he says in a voice that breaks.

 

    “How can I possibly do that when I can’t love myself?” Magnus counters breathlessly. He doesn’t know how but he feels as if he’s holding both of their emotions in his palms. With each word that left Alec’s lips, he could feel it. He could feel the emotion dripping off of his tongue. He could feel it all and it makes his nerves quake, and now he just feels numb.

 

    “Don’t do that to yourself!” Alec scolds as he steps closer. “Don’t say things like that—you can love and be loved even if you can’t find it in you to love yourself! It doesn’t make you any less worthy, any less deserved of love, Magnus. When you walk into a room, there's a spark in you that lights up everything and everyone around you! And- and- hey!” Alec’s hands shoot forward to grab Magnus, preventing him from turning and walking away. “I won't lose you! Not when I just got you, Magnus... I can't.”

 

    Magnus feels himself shake with the need to break. The lump in his throat grows to the point where he can’t swallow it down anymore. He’s suffocating. He’s choking on his own emotions as Alec’s courses through his veins, pulsing through him and electrocuting him to his inner core.

 

    “Alexander…”

 

    “Please, Magnus” Alec begs, moving his hands up to cup Magnus’ face between them. “I… I know we haven’t known each other for long, but… I don’t think I can live without you. The second I saw you, sitting in that throne, with that cloak over your face, I knew. I knew, Magnus, I knew you were the one for me. I found myself letting out a breathe, like I wasn’t breathing until I could breathe the same air as you. You filled me with a sense of familiarity—I feel like I’ve never you my entire life and not for a few weeks. Rafael, he… he told me we’re  _ Fatali Animarum _ . We’re made for each other, we were bound to meet, Magnus, so please don’t… don’t leave me.”

 

    Magnus squeezes his eyes shut and lets out a shaky breath. He unconsciously leans into Alec’s palms, turning his head to press further into his touch. “I’m not… Alexander, you deserve better. Better than me.” With shaking hands, he gently grabs Alec’s and lowers them. “I… I can’t. Not right now. I’m… I’m sorry.”

 

    Alec is frozen. He wants to reach out, pull him back. He wants to say something, but nothing comes out. Instead, he’s left standing there as he watches Magnus turn away from him. He’s left standing there, watching him go and take all of the breath in Alec’s lungs with him. He’s left standing there as the naive people of Brooklyn move around him like a beehive. He’s left standing there, unseen, unnoticed by everyone, as the shattered pieces of his heart fly away in the wind.

 

* * *

  
  


    It was a moment that he instantly regretted; leaving Alec behind like that, broken when he just managed to pull himself together. But he had to. For a multitude of reasons—reasons that he’s sure no one would understand nor accept. They were selfish reasons, well some of them were, but ultimately, Magnus felt that it was for the best. It had to be done in order for Magnus to be able to do what was going to happen next.

 

    He had to be alone for this. He had to. He couldn’t bring that pure, beautiful Nephilim into this mess any further. The man has already lost so much, so Magnus was sure losing someone he never really had would do no harm.

 

    And now here he stood. In his own realm; standing at the top of a cliff-side with his cloak flowing gently behind him in the breeze. He’s staring longingly at the view below him, eyes holding a certain deep forlorn as he takes in every inch of the forest. All the trees, all the animals he spots scattering around. He takes in the breeze, the warmth of the sun hanging above him, the sounds of the birds chirping around him quietly in melancholy; like they too knew what was going to happen.

 

    “Are you sure about this?” 

 

    Magnus doesn’t bother turning around to regard Ragnor. “As sure as I’ve ever been.”

 

    “You’ve had many foolish ideas in the years that I’ve known you, Magnus, but this surely has to be your most bold one yet.” lectures Catarina, voice terse with anger.

 

    She was confused. She didn’t understand Magnus’ choice, and the action he’s about to do, but Magnus was proving to be stubborn and didn’t let either of them talk him out of it. They had argued for 4 hours about it before Catarina and Ragnor admitted defeat.

 

    “I know” Magnus admits after a period of silence. “This is the most dangerous thing I’ve ever had to do. But it must be done. I’m the only one who can do it, I’m the only one who can face it… I don’t want anyone else to die.”

 

    “So you think sacrificing yourself will solve it?!” Ragnor finally snaps, losing his collected composure. “You think pushing away the man you love, creating a wall between you and people who care for you, will solve everything?!”

 

    “I wish it did” Magnus chuckles bitterly before finally turning around to face them. “I wish it solved every problem that existed right now… I need to do this. Alone. I know you’re both angry with me, and someday I hope you’ll understand, but Catarina, you’re right. It’s time to end this isolation. It’s time to embrace the world, forget the past, and stop running from my fears. I  _ need _ to do this. I need to prove to myself, to the world, that I can do this.”

 

    A silence falls between the trio.

 

    “You may never come back, Magnus” Ragnor lamented, tears rolling down his cheeks. “I’ve been with you for centuries and I don’t think I’ll ever accept the fact that you could possibly no longer be in my life to pester me about the lack of cinematic task I have.”

 

    A laugh leaves Magnus, though it sounds wet and jagged as he too cracks with his own overbearing emotions. “I’m sure Cat here will fill some of that void, my dear friend.”

 

    Ragnor sends him a pained, broken look. “ _ No one _ will ever fill the spot you hold in my heart, Magnus Bane. No one.”

 

    Magnus silences as he looks at his friend. Ragnor then immediately shifts forward and gathers him in a tight embrace, one that is returned, and buries himself into the man he’s grown with, the man that he admired and cries.

  
  


[ mood ↺ “fire meets fate” by ruelle ]

  
  


    “Promise me you’ll make it back.  _ Promise me. _ ”

 

    A small smile tugs at Magnus’ lips. “I sure will try to.”

 

    Ragnor pulls back after a moment and presses their foreheads together; being mindful of his horns of course. He pulls away completely to let Catarina come forward to embrace Magnus as well.

 

    “You know what to do.” Magnus exhales once he breaks the hug with her. “Protect them. No matter the cost. The second I destroy this realm, all hell will break loose… Literally.”

 

    “Now is not the time for jokes.” Catarina reprimands pointedly. He gives a lighthearted shrug in response.

 

    “We’ll protect them, no worries,” Ragnor reassures as he squeezes Magnus’ shoulder. “We’ll create wards upon wards and fight the demons that will surely come for them.

 

    Inhaling, Magnus gathers himself and nods curtly at him. “Good.” A heartbeat. “It’s time. I think I’ve stalled long enough. I’ve been selfish long enough.”

 

    Catarina’s stoic ambiance breaks and she rushes forward to hug him once more. He holds her tightly, letting her cry on his shoulder, then welcomes Ragnor into the hug as well. They huddle close; holding each other and refusing to let go but knowing that they have to. Ragnor is the one to break the group hug and gently pull Catarina away. She fights at first before completely giving up, going slack in her lover’s hold as he guides her towards an awaiting portal. He sends them one last smile when they glance back at him.

 

    “Go,” he gently urges. “Everything’ll be fine.”

 

    Ragnor doesn’t seem convinced and lingers for another moment before he forces himself to turn away. The portal promptly closes behind him. And now Magnus is alone; standing at the cliff side in a realm that will soon be gone.

 

    He allows himself to bask in his surroundings for a couple more minutes; eyes lingering on the large pagoda he had conjured up centuries ago. From the statues of the Asian dragon, the large tree embedded in the side of the pagoda, the garden he hand-planted, to the acres of forestry below his feet. He notices that the sounds of the birds have silenced; they were no longer chirping. The wind has stilled and the sun was beginning to fade over the horizon; casting sorrowful hues of blues across the sky.

 

    He lets a single tear roll down his cheek before he lifts his hand to wipe it.

 

_     I’m sorry, Alexander. _

 

    Magnus takes a deep breathe and lifts his hands, willing all of his power into his fingertips and soon, they begin to glow a demonic, angry red.

 

_     I let myself get in too close. I knew what I was getting into, I sensed myself getting attached and falling, yet I didn’t stop myself. And I had to hurt you because of my selfishness. _

 

    When his eyes open, his cat eyes are a piercing red; matching the sparks of power at his fingertips. The world around him begins to shake as a pentagram begins to get carved into the ground a few feet from him.

 

_     I chose to stick by you. I let you surround me with your warmth, with your sunrays, and I let myself bask in it for too long. _

 

    Lifting his hand towards the slowly forming pentagram, he shoots his power out to aid in its forming. Once the circle connects and the lines forming the star draw quickly, fire begins to flick out of it.

 

_     I’m sorry, my dear Nephilim… _

 

    The fire flickers dangerously once the pentagram is complete, surging a sense of dread throughout the kingdom. The sunset changes from melancholy blue to blood red. A dark figure slowly begins to arise from the middle of the symbol and Magnus swallows the lump in his throat, steadying himself for what’s about to come. All he could see were wings; large, black wings that hugged the person in a protective shield. But once the figure was fully surfaced in this shattering realm, the wings unfolded.

 

    Lucifer smirked at him.

 

_     I hope you can forgive me. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ insert the gif of homer simpson disappearing into a hedge here ]


	7. this glass heart (is this how it ends?)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "It's waiting in shadows  
> My every turn feels haunted  
> It hits me like arrows  
> So deep the blood is scarlet  
> Is this how it ends?  
> Is this how it ends?  
> This glass heart is shattering to pieces  
> Shattering to pieces"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tweet at me @itsamalecthing with your thoughts and/or use the hashtag #WoHfic! Hope you enjoy!

He didn’t know how long he’d been standing there in the middle of the street. Magnus was long gone, out of his sight, and didn’t even bother looking back. And it stung. It stung so deep into his chest like a dagger of poison; clutching at his heart and squeezing until he was sure that it was about to burst. When he finally decided to head back, he was moving sluggishly, like his body weight a thousand pounds and he couldn’t find any energy to pick his feet up properly.

 

Mind racing, Alec tries to think of reasonable circumstances for Magnus’ sudden turn of behavior. Was the stress finally getting to him? He’d been a mess recently and kept acting like he was fine, that he was healthy and perfectly okay, but maybe that wasn’t true. Was the whole thing with Lucifer, Asmodeus, and demons finally taking a toll on his mind? Maybe he just needed some space — maybe he just… needed to be alone. Just for a little bit.

 

There was still a pinch of hope lingering in the back of Alec’s mind. They had kissed and Magnus always somehow found his way back to him, always ending up in Alec’s arms one way or another so surely that meant something. Surely, Alec meant something to him. Surely, they were  _ something _ . All the times he caught Magnus staring at him, all the those lingering touches, those fleeting smiles, and the tender kisses that left both of them breathless — surely Magnus didn’t fake emotion. He practically wore his heart on his sleeve when it came to Alec, so he doubts that Magnus could even find it in himself to string him along.

 

By the time he reaches the Institute grounds, he could spot Maryse, Isabelle, and Jace standing on the front steps; anxiously awaiting for his return. When they spotted him, Isabelle was the first to launch across the yard and engulf him into a tight hug.

 

“Jace said he could feel something wrong,” Isabelle explains, voice muffled by his collarbone. “You don’t need to explain what happened, Alec, just please don’t push us away like last time. We’re here for you, okay? We’re your family. We’re Lightwoods.”

 

A small chuckle leaves him as he hold his little sister tighter to his body. “We break noses and accept the consequences.”

 

“Exactly” Jace grins as he joins his side, slapping his hand on Alec’s shoulder before squeezing it comfortingly. “Look, man, I’m sorry about Magnus. But with what’s been going on, maybe it’s not exactly the right timing. He’s probably got a lot on his mind, and more things to worry about.”

 

Heaving a sigh, Alec nodded meekly in agreement. “You’re right,” he affirms. Isabelle breaks away from the hug, peering up at him with a small pout on her lips. “With a war going on, now isn’t the best timing to form a relationship…”

 

His mother stepped forward and pulls him into a tight embrace. “If it’s one thing I’ve noticed between you two, it’s that you always find a way back to each other. Give him time, and maybe when all of this chaos ends,” she pulls away but holds him at arms length and sends him a sweet smile, “find him. You go and you find him.”

 

They entered the Institute after a couple more minutes, allowing Alec to make himself more presentable and not looking like he just had an emotional breakdown on his mother’s shoulder. Immediately, Alec shoved himself into work. Every report he bypassed, he filed it and submitted it to the Clave. Every pile of paperwork still sitting patiently on his desk, he filled and had his mother file them away. He barely even acknowledged anyone that stepped into his office, even if it was his sister trying to get him to take a break or join them down in the dining hall for lunch. Or, even if it was Clary or Jace trying to get him to say more than five words to them.

 

It was Rafael who managed to snap Alec out of his work-induced trance. He had stormed into Alec’s office, locked the door behind him, and took away Alec’s wireless keyboard to prevent him from continuing any work he still hasn’t buried himself into yet. Alec watched in belated shock as Rafael tossed it across the room, successfully breaking it into pieces that stare pitifully at him from the ground.

 

    “I—” he sputtered, gesturing to the broken equipment across the room, “I  _ needed that _ , ya know!”

 

    Rafael leveled him with sharp look and folds his arms across his chest. “I think it’s about time you develop a new coping mechanism, Lightwood.” He counters imploringly. “Burying yourself into your job won’t help.”

 

    Alec sighs, raking his hand through his disheveled locks and leaning back in his chair, “But maybe it’s enough to distract me from the reality we currently live in,” he disputes in a low tone. “I just… don’t know what else to do.”

 

    “Look,” Rafael sighs, visibly softening at the sight of Alec under so much distress, and takes a seat down in one of the two chairs placed in front of his desk before continuing, “My father, he… he’s been through a lot, that’s a given. After all the centuries he’s had to endure and he lessons he taught me, it’s that loneliness is a poison to one’s mind. After he escaped the Clave, he forced himself into a state of isolation. He created his own realm to try to appease the ache in his heart. But the more time he spent there… the more lonely he felt. That’s why he made that garden, built that pagoda, brought some of his people to live in there with him. But even that didn’t seem to quench his thirst.

 

    Then came Camille. I remember him telling me about how they had met. How feisty and untamed she was; how quickly entranced he became. He thought with her by his side, he’d feel better.”

 

    Rafael pauses in his storytelling, face scrunching together in a slight grimace. “But it only seemed to make it all worse. Their relationship started off beautiful; they ruled his realm like Queen and King. They fought battles together, they  _ won _ together, but eventually it all went down south in due time. Magnus eventually realized that Camille was only using him for power, for influence; for whoever held the heart of the most dangerous man on Earth could  _ rule _ Earth. She wanted all that glory for herself, she wanted the titles, the fear it brought. Magnus realized it wasn’t love, but the love for power. When it all came to light, he confronted her.  _ Begged _ her to love him, tried to convince her to be with him… but she just laughed. Right in his face. Told him how pathetic he was; begging and pleading. Told him that he could never be loved, no matter how hard he tried to be, and that he was just destined to be alone for the rest of his miserable life. I was there when she said all of that. I was standing  _ right there _ and I… I never felt so much rage before. She was my Clan Leader, my sire, and here she was, stomping on the heart of the man who worshiped the ground she walked on.”

 

    “What did you end up going?” Alec questions quietly.

 

    It takes a moment for Rafael to speak but when he does, there’s a bitterness laced on his tongue. “I attacked her.” He reveals. Alec’s eyebrows shot up. “I know I told you all that I waited until Simon and Clary came into the picture and watched him cage her up — that wasn’t a _complete_ lie, it did happen, but I didn’t wait that long to finally snap. I nearly killed her, Alec, I nearly tore her throat out… Magnus was angry at me for the longest time, even after they had broken up. The last time we spoke was when he contacted me, asking me to come to his realm. He didn’t state a reason as to why but I showed up anyways. He was standing in the middle of his garden. Camille was there too, along with Cat and Ragnor. It was like… walking into a face off. The entire atmosphere was tense. No one had said a word for the longest time before Camille starting spewing shit. ‘You can’t do this to me’, ‘I’m the only permanent person in your life’, ‘Choose  _ me _ ’, and… ‘loneliness has always been your Achilles heel.’”

 

    Alec’s mind recoils. The demon that possessed Magnus had spit that same line at him.

 

    “She was trying to incanto him,” Rafael snorts as he clenches his fists. “Trying to make him change his mind. But he was powerful enough to completely block her out of his mind. He forged the cage, opened a portal, and sent her directly to the Clave. That was over 50 years ago. We haven’t spoken since.

 

    I bet he expected me to be bitter about it. I bet he expected me to out his identity to the whole world, but… I kept it a secret. From everyone. Never let anyone knew I even knew him, and stayed loyal to him even when it appeared he wanted nothing to do with me. But then I heard you had managed to gain his attention and I… I had to be there. I had to see him. I had to see if he still felt the same and… if the bond we had was no more.”

 

    “But it wasn’t” Alec allows himself to smile a little “He missed you just as much as you missed him.”

 

    Rafael’s lips tugged up into a rare smile, small and lingering but still there. “He’s still the man I remembered him to be. He never once changed.”

 

    Alec lets out a small breathe and lowers his gaze. His hand slides into his pocket to touch the necklace that he still kept with him; the necklace he had picked up off of the floor in the herbal shop. His thumb traces the single word engraved on the back of it.

 

    “That necklace you had found,” Rafael continues, as if sensing Alec still had it in his pocket, “was originally a gift to Camille. But after their official breakup a few centuries ago, he broke into her place and retrieved the items that she took from him. That necklace was one of them.”

 

    “How did it end up in the herbal shop?” Alec asks, puzzled.

 

    Rafael raises an eyebrow at him. “Magnus tried to sell some of the items that reminded him too greatly of her. So he put the necklace in the herbal shop in hopes that it’d get sold.” A pause, then his voice lowers like he’s about to tell a secret. “Then you stumbled into that destroyed shop and picked it up right off of the ground, dusted it off, and kept it.”

 

    “I didn’t think it really meant anything, but,” his fingers grasp on to the chain and he gently pulls the necklace out of his pocket so he could admire the red jewel, “then Magnus told me it glows when a demon is nearby.”

 

    “Pretty much every item Magnus created symbolizes something.” Rafael stands up from his chair and moves around the desk so he too could admire the jewel properly. “The crystal on his crown, the fur on his cloak, the black fabric on his cloak itself — hell, even one of his rings stands for something.”

 

    Alec turns his head to look up at him, confused scowl on his face, and gently cajoled “What do you mean?” to get Rafael to explain further.

 

    “The fur on his clock is actually from Cerberus” Rafael starts. Alec made a baffled noise. “He defeated the 3-headed beast when he stood up to his father, Asmodeus, in Edom. The fur shields the wearer completely; making the person undetected by any demon. If they happen to cross paths with a demon, the demon will only think it’s in the presence of another demon. The black fabric the cloak is enhanced with a healing spell; if the wearer is injured, the wound will heal immediately.”

 

    “What about the ring? What does it look like?” Alec pauses briefly before suddenly realizing something. He fishes into his pocket, quickly retrieving another item that Magnus had given him. Rafael gasps quietly and snatches the ring out of Alec’s hold. It was a simple piece of jewelry; made out of gleaming silver with a square top and a single, cursive letter ‘M’ adorning it.

 

    “Have you ever put it on?!” Rafael demanded. “Alec, answer me, have you put it on?!”

 

    “What — no!” Alec quickly answered, stunned by Rafael’s sudden urgency. “I mean I thought about it once or twice, but… what — why? What’s the big deal?”

 

    “ _ Idiota _ , this ring right here is a  _ very big deal! _ ” Rafael badgers as he hold the referred item up. “This holds a piece of Magnus’ power in it! If you put it on, you’ll tap into a small bit of his power! Even a small portion will hurt you — for a Nephilim, it could be  _ fatal! _ ”

 

    Alec exclaims and quickly moves away from the ring, eyes wide in bewilderment. “What — then why would he give it to me?!”

 

    Rafael suddenly falls silent as he scans Alec’s expression keenly. “Because it also has a second meaning to it. It not only holds a pinch of his power, but it’s like… his life force, in a way. This ring, it represents his beating heart.”

 

    “How so?” Alec glances meekly down at the ring like it was about to grow a set of jaws and bite his arm off.

 

    “Once when werewolves were on the brink of war with the Warlocks, he gave me the ring and instructed me to _never_ wear it unless dire need.” Amusement flickers in Rafael’s eyes as he speaks, while Alec seems both intrigued and terrified about the ring. “I was surrounded by werewolves and put the ring on. The power was exhilarating. I felt like I was going to pass out — I could barely control it, and it made me wonder how Magnus was able to control it all when all I had was a hair of it. When I defeated the werewolves around me, I looked down at the ring and noticed something. The ‘M’ was pulsing a dull red and it oddly seemed like the pulse of a heart beat. When someone else wears the ring, tapping into his power, they’re able to tell whether or not Magnus is alive. The pulses I saw, where the beats of his heart.”

 

    Alec’s jaw dropped. He battled between looking at Rafael’s face and the ring in his palm, not knowing what to say at first before he manages to stutter out, “So he gave it to me… for what? For protection?”

 

    Rafael snorts and places the ring back into Alec’s palm. “If my father has taught you anything in the short time you’ve known him, it’s that every action, every decision,  _ every word _ he says — it’s all for a reason. A reason you have yet to find out.”

 

    “A reason you have yet to find out.” Alec parrots flatly, eyebrows drawing together. “Is that supposed to be a hint or something? I feel like you’re hinting at something.”

 

    The vampire groans, rolling his eyes before lifting a hand to swat at the back of Alec’s head. “I swear, you Nephilims are so slow sometimes,” he grumbles under his breath. Alec lets out an offended ‘hey!’ as he rubs the back of his head. Rafael ignores him and instead stares pointedly at him. “ _ Think about it _ , you dumbass.”

 

    Before their conversation could evolve any more, the door suddenly unlocked and bursts open, startling the two occupants. Alec shoots out of his chair and blinks dumbly at the sight of Catarina and Ragnor in front of them.

 

    “What are you—”

 

    “Nevermind that” Ragnor huffs impatiently. “What do you say about going on a rescue mission?”

 

    The bewildered pair in front of them exchange looks with each other.

  
  


* * *

  
  


    “It’s been a while,” Lucifer purrs in delight. “I was beginning to wonder when I’d see my precious little nephew again. You know there’s such thing as fire messages, right?”

 

    They’ve been going at it for a while now; exchanging blows as the realm around them crumbles violently. Both of them were bloody and covered in dirt, gashes littered on their limbs. Magnus finds himself struggling a little but knows he has to keep going. The realm isn’t something that’ll be easy to destroy, not while he’s multi-tasking between using his power crumble it all and battling the Devil himself.

 

    It’s been a bit of a train wreck, if he had to be honest. Since the very beginning, Magnus had a hunch that Lucifer was at the front of everything. He knew, deep down, that he’ll have to face his uncle once again; which is was why he took so many precautions. He planned everything in silence, in solitude, and not even his two friends knew what he was going to do or why he was going to do it. However, the second Alec stepped into his realm, everything shifted. Magnus’ plan for the future shattered and he was left standing there wondering what he’s supposed to do next.

 

    That’s when it hit him.

 

    That night, when the demon left his body and Alec held him in his arms—that was when it all had changed. Magnus decided he was no longer to fight for his own survival, but for the survival of everyone around him.

 

    He  _ won’t _ let anyone else die. Even if it means that he’s the one that has to.

 

    “As happy as I am to see you,” Lucifer tilts his head as he observes Magnus, who is slightly bent over as he attempts to catch his breath, “I can’t help but wonder why you summoned here.  _ Here _ , all of places.”

 

    Magnus raises his head, his cat-eyes boring into the demon in front of him. “Because isn’t this fitting?” He lightly taunts. “This is the place where you Fell, is it not?”

 

    Anger flames in Lucifer’s eyes. “You’re bold to bring me here, nephew, but it’s a death wish that I’m sure you’re aware about.”

 

    Magnus is silent as he stands up straight. He was no longer wearing his cloak (which was placed safely on a rock nearby) and his clothes were a bit tattered and ripped. Magnus can’t help but mourn a little bit at the gashes that tore through the beautiful fabric of Alec’s sweater. It was beautiful piece, and Magnus never meant to ruin it, but if he was going to die tonight, then he wanted to go with a little piece of Alexander. But the shirt was the only thing that was breaking; the realm they were standing was barely holding on. The small pagodas were now piles of rubble, his garden was bare and dead, there was massive craters in the ground as the earth tore itself apart underneath their feet, and the large tree had collapsed on his pagoda a little bit ago. 

 

    During the battle, Magnus has been able to weaken Lucifer significantly. His black wings were missing a large amount of feathers and he was covered in more wounds than Magnus was. Magnus knew if he crushed that crystal on his crown, he could defeat Lucifer completely. However, he didn’t want to risk Lucifer fleeing the realm. He’s stalling him, refusing to unleash his full potential until the realm is completely done for.

 

    “If I have to die tonight then so be it” Magnus submits with a heavy heart. “However, make no mistake, uncle, if I’m going down so are you.”

 

    Lucifer laughs merrily at his determined expression, delighted beyond words. “Now this is what I’ve been  _ waiting _ for! The battle of centuries, the ultimate showdown between a devil and a warlock. Mmh, this will be in history books, my dear.”

 

    Magnus snaps his fingers, summoning his power to his palms. Lucifer smirks at him and readies his own weapon, which was a finely curved sword, as he gets into a stance. It’s still for another moment as they stare each other down, wondering who will be making the first move. Lucifer is the one to break the stillness. He launches forward with a battle cry, raising the sword high in the air. Magnus swiftly moves to the right, focusing his energy into his palm before shoving it into Lucifer’s chest; sending a pulse of energy through into his torso. Lucifer grunts as the impact sends him flying backwards into a tree, which cracks and crumbled down on top of him from the sheer force. Magnus exhales before inhaling slowly. He straightened his posture and takes a small glance around, watching more chunks of the earth around him fall and disappear.

 

    It’s time.

 

    Magnus feels a brief wave of sorrow wash over him, but he doesn’t let himself drown in it. He closes his eyes, takes another deep breathe, and raises his hands to take the crown off of his head. As he unlocks the crystal from it, he can see Lucifer getting to his feet from his peripheral vision. So he raises his head to stare up at the man with the pulsing crystal in his palm. Lucifer stands up, brushing the dirt and rubble off of his clothes. His eyes lock on the crystal Magnus is holding and his eyes widen.

 

    “You were prepared, weren’t you?” Lucifer observes as an impressed smile grows on his lips. “Is that why you summoned me here? To trap me in your realm as you destroy it, rendering us both to perish?” 

 

    Magnus curls his fist around the crystal and tightens it, not enough to crush it completely but enough to cause a few cracks to form. 

 

    “You’ve gotten smarter since the last time we sparred, little nephew. I’m quite impressed. Too bad I came prepared as well.” Lucifer raises a hand and flicks two of his fingers. Immediately, a portal rips open from his right side and a large cage tumbles through it. Magnus freezes when his eyes lock on a pair of distraught hazel eyes.

 

    “Alexander?” he murmurs in disbelief. Alec looks absolutely terrified, and utterly confused, as to what’s going on but he isn’t alone in the cage. Clary. Jace. Isabelle. Rafael. Simon. Catarina. Ragnor. All the people Magnus has allowed himself get close to are in that damn cage, looking at him in terror.

 

    “Magnus” Alec scrambles up to the bars, grasping on to them. He yanks on them in a lame attempt of trying to break free but the metal doesn’t even creak. “What are you… what’s going on? Why are your realm like this?”

 

    “You’re not supposed to be here” Magnus evades, stiff and rigid. “You’re… You’re supposed to be somewhere safe, you’re  _ all _ supposed to be somewhere safe.” He gives his Knights a sharp look that demanded an explanation.

 

    “I’m sorry, Mags, but we refuse to just leave you here!” Catarina frantically explained. “We couldn’t bare leaving you behind.”

 

    Magnus inhales shakily and squeezes his eyes shut, then, “You’re not supposed to be here!” he reiterates in a shout. “I gave you both  _ specific _ instructions. You were to leave this realm and protect the Institute while I—”

 

    “While the realm crumbled down and dragged you with it?!” Ragnor angry snap cut Magnus’ words off. “You’re a fool to think we’d just walk away in obedience!”

 

    “Was this your plan?” Isabelle steps forward. She looks torn, confused, and even a little betrayed. “Was this your plan all along?”

 

    There’s a brief pause of silence before Magnus admits, “Yes. It was. What wasn’t a part of the plan was you.” His eyes scan their faces, meeting their eyes and holding their gazes for a couple of seconds before he finally reaches Alec. “I was never planning on getting close to any of you. In the beginning, I had a hunch that Lucifer was that one who started this plague, but I knew without solid evidence and some proper backup or even a good plan, confronting him would be useless. Then you idiots came along. Asking for  _ my _ help, of all the people in Brooklyn. I figured if I needed backup then there it was. I knew it was going to be a struggle, but… moving on from the past was something I’ve been working on for centuries.

 

    So while we forged a plan of our own, I forged mine as well. I had to get Lucifer alone but I needed to figure out how and when, and I needed to do it at the perfect timing. However… I kept getting distracted along the way; I grew close to you all, got too attached more than I bargained for, and I knew if I didn’t end it now then… then I’ll lose you all completely.”

 

    “So you thought it’d be best for us to lose you” Clary concludes bitterly. “You’re saying that as if you don’t mean something to all of us, Magnus. You’re talking as if you hold no significance to us, to  _ me! _ ” She shoves at the bars harshly, making them creak a little at the force. “Do you remember a couple of nights ago when we bonded over the memories of my mother? How you gave me a piece of your own memory of her because I never regained any of mine? Do you know how much that meant to me?! You can’t just — you can’t just decide to sacrifice yourself and think I’ll be okay with that!”

 

    “You raised me,” Rafael adds, preventing Magnus from opening his mouth to respond. “You raised me after I was forced to leave my family behind — you taught me everything I needed to know about the Downworld. You guided me, you loved me, you protected me… I can’t let you go,  _ padre _ . Not when I just got you back in my life.”

 

    Tears flow into Magnus’ eyes. When Rafael called him  _ padre _ , it always did an emotional take on him, just like how it did when Madzie called him  _ papa _ for the first time. There was something so simple about that word that embedded deep into Magnus’ core.

 

    “Everything you did, everything you said was planned, wasn’t it?” Alec tightens his grip on the metal bars. He felt the tickle of a tear lightly rolling down his cheek.

 

    As if sensing Alec’s insecurity, Magnus immediately shakes his head and cuts him off before he could continue “Kissing you was not planned, Alexander. Spending time with you, being with you — it was something I continuously held myself back from. The more I fought it, the stronger it got and in the end, I just kept running to you. I knew I had to walk away to do this. I knew I had to leave you all behind in order to bring myself to this very moment. So with that said,” he turns to Lucifer, who has been watching in elated amusement in silence, and crushes the crystal in palm, “I intend to finish what I started.”

 

    The surge of power is immediate and tense. The ground at Magnus’ feet dents in, creating an inward bump as blood red energy swirls around him; sparking and igniting in small puffs of flames and smoke. It burns as it courses its way through his veins, filling him up to the brim with power and energy. There wasn’t much physically wise that would change when Magnus let himself dabble into his demonic side; his cat eyes turning the same shade as the power he wielded, but that’s about it. But anyone within a 5 foot radius could feel the sheer intensity of his strength palpitating through their air; pulsing them with subtle electric shocks, buzzing underneath their skin.

 

    With the realm pretty much gone by now, it’d be a risky move to portal the cage to a safe place. Not to mention the cage seemed to be built out of some kind of special material hat blocked Catarina and Ragnor from using their magic, and the Nephilims with them when they attempted to use their Runes to break free. If it was an anti-everything cage, Magnus doubted he could push it through a portal with his magic. He’ll have to figure out another way before the realm completely collapses.

 

    The wicked grin on Lucifer’s face is what he’s met with when Magnus looks up. Despite the cockiness of the demon he’s facing, he can see the lingering tension on the man’s shoulders. He was frightened. As they all were, as they  _ should _ be.

 

    Once Magnus tapped into his demonic side, he’s a whole ‘nother beast.

 

    “You really are intimidating” Lucifer comments with a tilt of his head “Too bad. You would’ve been perfect as my right-hand-man. We could’ve ruled the entire demonic plane together and yet you decide to stick by a species that condemns us for all eternity.”

 

    “Condemns  _ you _ .” Magnus corrected coldly. “The past is in the past sure, but I highly doubt the Angels would forgive and forget your little entrance up there.”

 

    Lucifer grins. “It was quite a fun party, to be frank.”

 

    Magnus lifts an eyebrow, unamused. “And look where that got you.”

 

    “Are you going to spend the entire time belittling me or actually fighting me?”

 

    “You’re the one that keeps talking” Magnus points out with a small grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. 

 

    Lucifer sends him a pointed look and with an annoyed huff, he lunges. It’s quick and swift and for a second, Magnus loses sight of him. But his senses hone in and he’s able to block the blade from reaching him with his forearm. It digs into his arm, drawing blood, but he doesn’t even flinch. Lucifer grunts, pressing the blade even harder against his arm in an attempt to break Magnus’ form. However the warlock merely chuckles and shoves his arm forward; a simple motion with barely enough strength behind it, yet it still sends Lucifer flying back. Before he could hit the ground, Lucifer regains his footing and lands on his feet, sliding back a few more feet then finally halting. Magnus takes a few steps forward and while keeping his gaze locked on the man in front of him, he lifts his arm towards the cage his friends were locked in. The cage suddenly lifts from the ground, causing its occupants to shriek in surprise and hold on to each other. The second the cage is off of the ground, the dirt it was originally on caves in to reveal nothing but pitch darkness.

 

    “We gotta think of something” Jace whisper-shouts as he hold Clary tightly. Poor girl was trembling as she watched Magnus bravely fend off Lucifer, backing the demon away from them.

 

    “I know, but what could we possibly do?” Simon gestures to the bars they’re currently locked behind. “You already tried your Unlock rune! Didn’t work. I tried my vampire strength, still didn’t work. Clary tried opening a portal and, guess what?  _ It didn’t work! _ ”

 

    Alec tears his gaze away from the battle and instead examines the cage keenly.  There’s got to be a fault somewhere; a loose nail, maybe. Wishful thinking, yeah, but it’s better than just sitting here with all of this chaos happening around him.

 

    His eyes lock on a stone sitting innocently on a remaining chunk of earth. An idea clicks in his head. If only they were — suddenly, the cage yanks to the side and Alec finds himself slamming painfully into the bars. He grunts at the impact and looks up, wondering what the cause was this time. A gasp leaves him when he spots Magnus on the ground; apparently from taking a blow to his thigh where his scar is. His face was scrunched in agony as he covers his thigh with his hand. Even from this distance, Alec could see the blood pooling from between his fingers. Alec looks behind them and duly notes a tree — well, a _half_ of a tree. It was freshly charred in half from the massive fireball that was sent their way.

 

    Magnus must’ve yanked the cage away instead of blocking the blow to his leg. The cage now sits half on the ground, half teetering dangerously over the looming darkness below.

 

    Alec grits his teeth angrily then quickly scrambles up to a kneeling position. He brings himself closer to the bars and grabs the rock he had spotted. Taking a deep breathe, he pressed the jagged edge of the rock into his skin and cuts his palm open. Blood immediately pours out of the wound and he doesn’t hesitate to begin working on his little theory.

 

    “What are you doing?!” Isabelle exclaims when he notices her brother drawing a pentagon out of his own blood on the ground.

 

    “Something that’ll end up benefiting us or,” Alec glances up when he hears a noise, watching as Magnus blocks Lucifer’s sword with his forearms, making an defense ‘X’ in front of himself, “something  _ really _ stupid.”

 

    “Who are you even trying to summon?” Clary asks.

 

    Alec finishes the drawing and turns to her; expression pinched in apprehension. “Asmodeus.”

 

    The looks of sheer disbelief only make the doubt bubble even more in his chest.

 

    “I know it’s stupid. He’s a Greater Demon. He’s killed before, and I have no doubt in my mind that he’ll do it again but…” Alec pauses in his speech, eyes locked on the now pulsing pentagon before continuing, “Asmodeus seemed to genuinely care about Magnus’ life. He fought for it. Maybe… maybe he’s willing to help.”

 

    “Did you forget that Lucifer caged him up in something similar to what we’re in?!” Jace hissed. “I doubt Asmodeus would even be able to come through even if he wanted to!”

 

    A scream causes their argument to silence. Alec shoots up and runs to the other side of the cage in a hurry, Magnus’ name spilling from his lips in a desperate cry as he watches the Magnus slam roughly into the ground. He looks more battered now; the wound on his thigh is rendering him vulnerable and Lucifer seems to be taking this for granted. However, doesn’t mean Magnus still hasn’t landed some of his own blows.

 

    “His wings…” Catarina gasps quietly.

 

    A small smirk appeared on Rafael’s lips. “Magnus burned them.”

 

    Simon makes a noise that’s a mix between a snort and a whimper. “I had a joke about fried wings but I don’t wish to die.”

 

    Ragnor perks an eyebrow at him. “You’re a vampire, Simon,” he deadpans, “you’re already dead.”

 

    “Yeah, well I don’t wish to be even more  _ deader _ than I already am!”

 

    “You’re really going to risk your life for them?” Lucifer’s booming voice resonates through them, echoing off of the black abyss they now reside in. The only patch of land that was left was currently occupied by the pair fighting.

 

    “You’re really going to risk your life to save some pathetic Nephilims?”

 

    Magnus lifts his head to glare up at him as he struggles to stand. The position he’s standing in, along with Lucifer and the cage, forms somewhat of a triangle. Magnus and Lucifer are facing each other, about 15 feet apart, leaving the occupants in the cage to be studying their side profiles from a good distance away.

 

    “What have they ever done for you, Magnus?” Lucifer scoffs as he takes slow, quiet strides towards him; sword long gone by now. “Have they even risked their lives for you?”

 

    “Yes” Magnus’ answer in immediate. “They all have. You don’t have the right to judge their significance in my life.”

 

    Lucifer laughs freely, clearly amused. “I’m your uncle, Magnus, of course I have every right to—”

 

    “I don’t give a damn if you’re my uncle!” Magnus retaliates in a shout. “That doesn’t mean shit to me. You were never an ‘uncle’ to me when growing up —  _ you’re _ the one that convinced my father use Demonic Lightning as a method of torture! On  _ me! _ A  _ child! _ ”

 

    Magnus was teetering himself, Alec could tell. He was putting all of his body weight on his good leg but he was swaying a little; hands shaking. Despite him tapping into his demonic side, his strength is wearing thin and fast, and the gash on his leg definitely isn’t helping him at all. He looked like he was on the brink of passing out.

 

    “Oh, please, you learned from your mistake, didn’t you?” Lucifer dismisses flatly. He stops walking forward and shows a sinister Cheshire cat grin. “My, my. You don’t look so good, dear nephew. You look completely drained. How about this? I’ll offer you a little deal. If you can block my Demonic Lightning this time, I’ll let your friends go. Unharmed. I’ll even portal them back to their  _ disgusting _ little Institute.”

 

    Suddenly, Alec feels a small tug on his sleeve. He looks down and practically has to pick his jaw up from the floor. Madzie is standing in front of him; staring up at him with her big brown eyes. She had a hand up to her mouth, pressing her index finger to her lips in a ‘shh’ motion. Dumbly, Alec nods at her in response. She lets go of his sleeve and takes a small step back to assess the cage. Alec turns to look Jace and mouths _‘where the hell did she come from?’_ , to which Jace just shrugs.

 

    “Do you honestly think I’ll believe something like that?” bickered Magnus, cat eyes narrowing in suspicion. “You’re a fool if you think I’ll fall for that — you’ve never once been honest to me.”

 

    Lucifer places a hand on his chest in mock offense. “You wound me, Magnus!”

 

    A slow creaking sound pulls Alec’s attention away from parabatai. He quickly finds the source: Madzie had, somehow, found a weak spot in the cage and poked, prodded at it until it gave way. She managed to user her power to create a makeshift torch in the middle of her palm and carve a doorway out of the bars. Alec watches her palm move to connect the lines of the large rectangle in mild amazement. The lines connect after a second and the chunk of metal bars fall forward with a groan. The young sorceress casually steps to the side to let it fall soundlessly into the black abyss she’s standing on. She looks at the occupants of the now broken cage with a perked eyebrow; beckoning  _ ‘are you coming?’ _ in silence. Alec shares quick glances with everyone before he’s the first to step out of the cage. The apprehension of he himself falling through the darkness quickly fades as his foot finds solid ground, and for a moment he wonders how when,  _ duh _ , there’s a freaking sorceress at his side. Of course she was using her magic to give them the ability to walk where there was no ground.

 

    “You and I both know that you have enough strength left to deflect a bolt” provokes the Devil with an impish grin; seemingly oblivious to the people breaking out of his cage. “You’re barely holding on to what’s left of this realm, which is literally only the piece of earth you’re standing on, just so you could figure out a way to get your friends back to safety.”

 

    Magnus sighs as he rolls his eyes. “Are you going to continue talking or are you going to actually shoot a bolt of lightning? ‘Cause you’re beginning to bore me, uncle.”

 

    Smirking, Lucifer pools his angry red energy into his palms. “Ask and you shall receive.”

 

    The energy sparks and crackles dangerously in Lucifer’s palms as he conjures more and more of it. Magnus readies himself; watching his movements keenly so that he could time the exact second the lightning bolt forms. He watches as Lucifer’s hands begin quickly moving around the air like he performing some kind of summoning ritual; the red angry trailing behind in brief lines of fire and smoke. When he pulls his hands back, a ball quickly forming in his palms, Magnus steads himself. Lucifer sends him a smirk and launches the lightning bolt straight at him.

  
  


[ mood ↺ “glass heart” by sam tinnesz ]

  
  


    Only, at the last possible second, Lucifer extends his other arm towards the cage and shoots a second lightning bolt; aiming the bigger one towards the group of people submerging out of the cage.

 

    Time suddenly slows.

 

    They’re not aware of the impending lightning bolt, not yet; too busy huddling together to breathe a brief sigh of relief. He spots Madzie, who is glued to Alec’s side, and makes eye contact with her. She’s a talented warlock for being so young, but even he knew that she would stand no chance at blocking or defending herself let alone a group of people against a demonic shot of lightning.

 

    Magnus has to make a split second choice. He’s practically bled dry of energy and is struggling to even stand up straight. If he deflects the bolt aimed at him, he could end the war right here, right now. But doing so, he’ll end the lives of the people he’s grown attached to. They’ll be a sacrifice that Magnus won’t ever forgive himself for.

 

    So he looks at Alec. He lets his eyes sink in every inch of the man he fell for. From his hazel eyes and the small bags under them, the hint of scruff at his sharp jawline, his large calloused hands searching and gripping on to those around him to keep them close to Alec’s petal soft lips that would always lift to reveal a beautiful smile. Only Alec isn’t smiling this time. No, he’s watching in belated horror when he finally takes note of the lightning bolt headed towards them (Magnus heart swells in admiration as Alec’s first instinctual reaction is to pull Madzie behind him, serving his body as a shield).

 

_     Is this how it ends? _

 

    Magnus closes his eyes. He takes a deep breath and eases himself into a state of calm. When he opens them, Alec is now looking at him. He looks even more terrified and helpless; not knowing what to do or where to go. But Magnus sends him a reassuring smile. It doesn’t seem to coax the Shadowhunter; who seems to see straight through the smile.

 

    “No, Magnus…” Alec faintly pleas.

 

    Magnus looks ahead of him and stares at the bolt barrelling even closer to him. With the calmness of a snake-charmer being faced with a cobra, Magnus lifts his arm towards the group to his right. He gathers his remaining energy and forge a protective shield in front of them so the bolt aimed at them bounces right off of it while he braces himself for impact.

 

    The bolt hits Magnus in the middle of his chest. Alec screams at the sight of Magnus’ body crumbling to the ground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before yall decide to @ me
> 
> read the new tags I added.
> 
> You're welcome. (or not)


	8. sleep for today (but tomorrow we fight)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Cold in the violence  
> After the war  
> Hope is a fire  
> To keep us warm  
> Children of anger  
> Eden's forgot  
> Waiting for the hour  
> The battle is done"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tweet at me @itsamalecthing with your thoughts and/or use the hashtag #WoHfic! Hope you enjoy!

Alec could recall the moments where he was close to the end; where he was nearly at death’s door himself. He recalled the sporadic moments in his life where he felt genuinely terrified for not only his own well-being, but for the people around him. Like the time where he found out Isabelle was going to be put on trial. When Jace temporarily joined Valentine’s side, and when he was bewitched by Lilith's spell and became the Owl. And even when his mother nearly got de-runed and exiled. Point is: Alec has seen some shit and has been through some shit but no moment, no event he’s ever experienced, has _ever_ prepared him for the one he’s facing right now.

 

He remembers the second he first laid eyes on him; cloaked in darkness, closed off and distant. Whenever Magnus would speak, it’d be short and clipped. Straight to the point, blunt, no sugar coating anything for anyone. He wasn’t particularly gentle in his ways but there was always that lingering softness in his steps — he’s sure Magnus didn’t know Alec noticed the way Magnus’ eyes would soften at the sight of a familiar welcoming face despite the warlock stating he doesn’t care about anyone.

 

_ The trick to not fearing anything is to have nothing to lose, _ Magnus had told him once. 

 

    And Alec understood why. He understands his reasons for being so distant, so distrustful towards everyone that crosses his path. He understands Magnus’ weariness towards Nephilims, his hatred towards the Clave (he’ll state this as many times as he can but:  _ fuck the Clave _ ) and he understands the warlock’s fierce protectiveness over his people; over the idea of isolation from the entire world.

 

He understands. If there’s one thing about him, it’s that he completely understand and accepts every bit of Magnus Bane.

 

But what he  _ doesn’t _ understand is why. Why? When they were finally stepping on solid ground with a good plan tickling at their brains, when they were finally able to put the pieces together — why did Magnus decide to sacrifice himself and throw everything else away? Magnus is not a bargaining chip. He is not a sacrifice, he is not a martyr that died for a cause — he is a  _ man _ that seeks the warmth of the people he’s grown affectionate towards.

 

Lucifer was after Magnus, that’s true. He was aiming death in the shape of a demonic lightning bolt at the heart of his own nephew because he knew that Magnus was the only one capable to crumbling him. However Lucifer was smart and cunning. He knew of Magnus’ weaknesses and used them to his own advantage; taking Alec and the others was a small threat to shift Magnus’ focus and concentration. It was to distract him. To weaken him.

 

And it worked.

 

It worked because Magnus allowed himself to be vulnerable in front of them. He opened himself up to them, he got attached to them, and Lucifer knew that Magnus would do  _ anything _ for them. Especially Alec. 

 

    And, oh, how Alec remembers the pain and terror he felt when Lilith nearly tore their family apart, when Jonathan Morgenstern nearly succeeded in his vengeful wraith of raining demons upon Idris. He thought his world was crumbling in those moments. He thought,  _ this is the end, isn’t it? _ But when he walked out of those moments, when they all did alive and (somewhat) well, Alec thought that nothing else could scare him more.

 

    The world just loves to prove him wrong, doesn’t it?

 

    The demonic lightning was just as terrifying as Magnus had described. To anyone else’s point of view, it looked like just a normal bolt of lightning. Except it was a deep crimson color and that could not only kill you, but completely shatter the being that you are. Magnus had told them that he couldn't tap into his magic  _ for months _ after getting hit the first time. He had to go through physical therapy to regain muscle mass in his leg, and relearn how to walk again. He was rendered completely and utterly useless for 5 whole months.

 

    With the direct hit to the chest, there was an obvious zero chance of recovery. It was directly where the heart was after all. It’d probably get crushed at impact.

 

    Alec pushes that thought deep in the back of his mind as he struggles. Jace was holding him back, trying to prevent his parabatai from going anywhere near the Devil, but Alec was having none of it. His throat felt dry and cracked and he’s vaguely aware he’s still screaming Magnus’ name (Alec vaguely recognizes Madzie’s cries of  _ papa! _ nearby) by the time he finally yanks himself out of Jace’s hold. The next second, he’s stumbling and fumbling with himself as he rushes towards the fallen Warlock. 

 

    Magnus was just… laying there. On his side, facing them with an arm stretched out, palm open and facing up like he was trying to reach for them. There’s a single tear rolling down his face as his eyes remain open, slowly fading back into his brown eyes. In the middle of his chest was a large scar from the lightning and Alec nearly sobbed at the sight of the mangled flesh on his chest.

 

    When Alec got closer, he could make out Magnus’ breathing; faint and quick, sharp quiet little gasps like he couldn’t catch his breath, like his lungs just wouldn’t work with him. Like he was suffocating. Alec dropped to his knees and carefully gathered the man in his arms, bringing him to his chest. Magnus was fading fast and there was nothing Alec could do other than wish he had a Time Travel rune.

 

    “Magnus…” Alec sobbed as his hand hovered over the wound on his chest. “No, no… you can’t — I just — stay with me. Stay with me!”

 

    A weak smile tugged at Magnus’ lips. His eyes glittered with more tears he stared up at Alec like he held the galaxy in his eyes. “You’ll… be okay.”

 

    “No! No I won’t!” Alec shook his head wildly. He held Magnus tighter to him and sniffled, “I won’t be okay —  _ none _ of us will be okay!”

 

    A quiet chuckle leaves the Warlock but it’s followed by a pained wheeze. Alec panics.

 

    “Don’t talk! D-Don’t, just… just save your strength, okay?”

 

    Magnus ignores his words and manages to lift his arm. His hand is a leaf in the harsh wind as his fingertips brush against the pendant hanging around Alec’s neck. It’s frantically pulsing red and he’s honestly surprised it hasn’t shattered yet.

 

    “Do you still…?” Magnus’ weak voice trails off.

 

_     Do you still feel the same? _

 

    “Yes,” Alec quickly affirms as he leans his head down to press their foreheads together, “Yes, I… I still feel the same about you. Even if you are a  _ fucking idiot. _ ”

 

    Magnus smiles and Alec finds himself just as smitten as before. He lets his fingers brush against the jewel before curling around the pendant, ghosting against the four letter word engraved on the back of it.

 

    “Aku…” He was having trouble speaking and despite Alec’s protest, he was determined to say what was on his mind. “Aku cinta kamu…”

 

    “What?” Alec murmurs in confusion, tears pooling down his cheeks as he takes in the heartbroken look on Magnus’ face. The man still smiles up at him, though despite the ache in his not only his body, his heart, but in his eyes.

 

    “Alexander, I… aku cinta kamu.”

 

    “What are you saying?” Alec weeps. “I don’t understand — what are you telling me? What does it mean?”

 

    Magnus doesn’t answer. His questions, at least. He just says the same 3 unrecognizable words but softer, quieter this time. Like the words he’s saying have been laying on his chest for too long and he needed to say them in order to feel better, to feel complete.

 

    Suddenly, Magnus’ breathing stutters and he emits a quiet gasp. His eyes widen a tad bit and Alec could see the light beginning to flush out. Alec chants ‘ _ no no no’ _ repeatedly under his breath as he tightens his hold on Magnus.

 

    “Don’t go! D-Don’t go — no, no, don’t! Please, Magnus, stay with me. Stay. _Stay with me!_ ” He blabbers in desperation, mind reeling as he tries to think of ways to save the man laying limp in his arms.

 

    “Aku… cinta… kamu....”

 

    “What does it mean? Tell me what it means!” Alec begs in a sob. “Tell me — no, no, look at me, Magnus. Look at me. Tell me what it means. Tell me…”

 

    But Magnus says nothing else. He just continues to stare at Alec’s face like he’s memorizing every detail. His breathing is slower but at the same time rougher, faster; like he’s gasping for that one final puff of oxygen. Then… silence. Alec recognizes the silence as Magnus stops breathing and it tears him apart. The hand Magnus had lifted up stutters against Alec’s cheek, his fingers freezing against his flesh.

 

    Then it drops.

 

    Alec’s whole world goes with it.

 

    He’s begging Magnus to wake up, to come back to him, before he even realizes how loud he’s sobbing. Magnus doesn’t move in his arms; deathly still as he stares up at him with a void of emotion, void of light and life in his dull eyes.

 

    “You can’t just tell m-me something cryptic and just go!” scolds Alec. “Without e-even telling me what it means… You can’t — y-you can’t just  _ do that! _ ”

 

    “As much as I’m oh so heartbroken, I think we’re finished here,” Lucifer’s voice cut Alec’s frantic, rushed sentences off. He glances up at the Devil, frowning at the smug and victorious look the man has on. 

 

    Alec realizes a little too late that the realm is done for. There’s nothing left now. They’re all surrounded by black; the only thing remaining, like a speck of dust, was the (crumbling) patch of land Alec was kneeling on, Lucifer stood feet away from him, wings fanning out so wide, carrying him gracefully in the empty air around them — and that he was also moving his arms about, summoning another bolt of lightning.

 

    “Everybody knows a Warlock is never truly dead until his body is no more. So I think it’s about time I  _ truly _ end this, don’t you?” Lucifer sneered at him. He pulls his hands back as the power sizzled menacingly in his palms. “Aren’t you happy, you stupid Nephilim? Now you can join him.”

 

    Alec hears his sister shout for him just as Lucifer shoots the bolt straight at him. He gasps and holds Magnus even tighter to him in an attempt to shield the man from his third hit. Alec turns his head and buries his face into Magnus’ hair, squeezing his eyes shut and readying himself for the impact. Suddenly, he feels a presence behind him, the warmth of a body pressing close. He hears a quiet rustling as well and then the blackness around Alec darkens even further, if possible.

 

    The impact never comes.

  
  


[ mood ↺ “whose side are you on?” by ruelle ]

  
  


    Slowly, Alec lifts his head and notes in confusion that he’s being  _ shrouded _ by something. He squeaks out a confused  _ ‘what?’ _ as he makes out feathers. Wait.  _ Feathers? _ What in the Angel’s name —  oh, they’re shifting now. The confusion dissipates to shock as the wings that protectively circled around him begin to unwind. The first thing Alec notices was that they were no longer in the crumbled realm anymore; they were… in Brooklyn? He recognized the beach they were on.

 

    Alec spots Lucifer still standing the same spot, but no longer smug and confident; he was shocked and, if Alec looked closely, scared.  He spots his friends, his siblings, and Madzie all looking behind Alec with wide eyes. Alec doesn’t hesitate to whip around to look at who was behind him.

 

    “You must be Alec” Asmodeus muses thoughtfully as he peers down at the Nephilim, his large black wings fluttering a little as they pull back. “The Nephilim my son is so infatuated with.”

 

    “You’re…” 

 

    A small smirk tugged at the Fallen’s lips. “I am Asmodeus. Former Ruler of Edom, Fallen Angel, Greater Demon — whatever you lot choose to call me. I am, undoubtedly,” his eyes flick to the man in Alec’s arms and soften with remorse, “the father of Magnus Bane.”

 

    “How did you get out of your prison?” Lucifer demands, seething with anger. “I made sure that you couldn’t even move in that damn thing — you were supposed to be on _my_ side! You were supposed to reign with me in triumph, brother! And now you’re protecting them?! Whose side are you on?”

 

    “Do you honestly think I’m going to stand by as you kill my son?!” Asmodeus snaps, glaring at his brother. “You’ve gone corrupt with your thirst for power! You don’t know when enough is enough! And you’ve crossed a line, little brother. The second you laid a hand on my child was the second you lost all of my alliance. I may be the former ruler of Edom but that doesn’t make me any less powerful. Besides, the little blood pentagram this Nephilim drew shattered my cage completely.”

 

    “What?” Alec gasps. “How?”

 

    “You really don’t know, do you?” Asmodeus asks softly. Alec shifts a little from under his crucial gaze and quickly looks away from him. “You seem to not understand the term  _ Fatali Animarum _ , do you? Hm, well that’s slightly disappointing. I suppose Rafael or Ragnor will have to explain further to you.”

 

    “Why can’t you?” Alec asks before he realizes what he’s saying.

 

    Alec’s eagerness to know more makes Asmodeus smile, sincerely. “You’re definitely an interesting little Shadowhunter. I can see why Magnus took interest,” he moves around Alec until he’s standing in front of him. He bends down and reaches up slowly to cover Magnus’ eyes with his palms. Asmodeus takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. “Besides,” Asmodeus continues, “I won’t be here to explain that to you.”

 

    Alec frowns and looks back and forth between Asmodeus’ face and the palm over Magnus’ eyes. “I-I don’t understand — what are you doing?”

 

    “A spell” Asmodeus answers simply.

 

    “No!” Lucifer shouts and quickly begins to form another bolt of lightning. “Don’t you dare!”

 

    The only one who seems to get what kind of spell Asmodeus was about to perform was Lucifer; who seemed adamant to stop him. 

 

    “How did Madzie get here first instead of you?” Alec pants, heart pounding in his chest. He was so confused by the sudden turn of events. “I summoned  _ you _ not her.”

 

    “The blood pentagram you drew released me of my prison but I was too weak from my battle with Lucifer and his demons to come right away,” Asmodeus clarifies flatly. He opens his eyes and Alec bites back a gasp at the sight of a pair of rather familiar cat eyes. “So I released Madzie from where I hid her and had her come here. She’s powerful, thanks to Magnus’ care, but isn’t strong enough to face Lucifer on her own. She was supposed to distract him while I gathered enough strength to come here and finish him off on my own… But I guess neither of us predicted that you and your little group over there would be here and I… I was too late.”

 

    Alec sniffled, “What are you doing? What kind of spell are you doing?”

 

    “It’s an ancient forbidden spell” is the only answer Alec gets. Asmodeus doesn’t clarify any further as he closes his eyes. The hand on Magnus’ face suddenly glows in snow white energy, sparkling and twinkling as it slowly forms around Magnus’ body like an impenetrable bubble. Alec notices a bolt of lightning being aimed at Asmodeus’ back and shouts for the man to  _ watch out! _ as he scrambles to try to yank him out of the way. But before the bolt could get close, Ragnor and Catarina appear and shove their hands out; blocking the bolt with their own combined magic as Isabelle, Jace, and Clary join their sides. Madzie, Rafael, and Simon rush over to Alec with looks of apprehension on their faces.

 

    “Madzie,” Asmodeus calls when she appears to his side, “I need you to do me a favor.” She stares at him with round eyes, silent. “When I finish the spell, when I’m gone, I need you to watch over him. Help him recover. Make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid. Can you do that for me?”

 

    Something flickers in Madzie’s eyes — realization or maybe even understanding — and she’s quick to bob her head in a quick nod.

 

    Asmodeus sighs, satisfied with her response, and begins to chant, “ _ Kair jalaran vinaquirem! Estivas kiranann digas!" _ The magic that’s surrounding Magnus’ figure suddenly glows, pulsing repeatedly.  _ “Tasarak tasarak puch korilath sinur! Estivas suh kali!”  _ Asmodeus’ eyes shoot open as he moves his other hand to place it on top of Magnus’ chest. The second his hand makes contact, there’s a stronger pulse that affects everyone. Alec sways a little as his head spins. When he comes to after a couple of seconds, he’s stunned to see that Asmodeus is laying flat on the ground. And he’s not moving.

 

    “What happened?” Alec exclaims. He looks down at Magnus, as if expecting some kind of change but there was nothing, then back at Asmodeus. “What the hell just happened?! What did he do?”

 

    A shout grabs his attention and he quickly looks up. Lucifer had opened a portal far too quickly for any of them to properly react and promptly disappears into it. Rafael bends down in front of Asmodeus and presses two of his fingers to his neck to check his pulse. When he turns around with a confused scowl on his face, Alec knows that there was no pulse.

 

    “He performed a Life Transfer spell,” Catarina explains as she rushes over to them. “It’s a very dangerous spell. It rarely ever works. If the spell doesn’t work and the target’s body doesn’t accept it, then both of their souls are stuck forever purgatory.”

 

    “Instead of using his power to finish Lucifer, he chose to perform a forbidden spell in an attempt to save his son?” Jace says incredulously. “Why?! Lucifer escaped, he broke free from his shackles in Edom and is just wandering about!”

 

    Ragnor shot the blonde Shadowhunter a sharp look. “Lucifer is incredibly weakened, Wayland. With his wings completely destroyed, he’s pretty much no threat to anyone at the moment. Magnus may have taken a beating, but he made sure that Lucifer would walk away useless at the end.”

 

    “How do we even know if the spell even worked?” Simon wonders. “He doesn’t look alive.”

 

    “It’s a long process” Ragnor sighs, rubbing his forehead. “It can takes weeks, months, maybe even years before we know for sure if it worked. If it doesn’t work and his body doesn’t accept the spell, then he’ll… never wake up. Technically, he’s dead but Lucifer was right about one thing: a Warlock is never truly dead if his body is still present. With the spell and the hope that he’s still in there, somewhere… maybe. But that’s a small maybe.”

 

    “We need to take him to a tranquil place.” Catarina comments as he touches Magnus’ forehead. “Where it’s isolated from everyone. We need a quiet place to give the spell a chance.” She makes a motion to take Magnus away from Alec, but the Shadowhunter denies her the ability to by tugging Magnus tighter to his chest. She glances up at him with a small frown before she softens at the sight of tears pooling in his eyes.

 

    “He… he sacrificed himself” Alec murmurs distantly. “He protected us… and because of that, his soul c-could be stuck in purgatory for eternity and his f-father would have given his life up for nothing. I… I’m not ready to let him go. I don’t want to let him go.”

 

    Clary steps to his side, bends down, and places a gentle hand on his arm. “You have to,” she gently coaxes. “Let him go, Alec. You have to.”

 

    Alec makes a distressed noise as his fingers curl into the fabric of Magnus’ sweater —  _ his _ sweater — and presses his forehead against Magnus’. He squeezes his eyes shut for a couple of seconds before he reopens them in favor of staring down at the face blow him. Magnus was still deathly quiet and his eyes were now closed. 

 

    He wishes they were open. 

 

    He wishes they were staring back at him, full of life, full of emotion; full of everything that makes Magnus who he is. 

 

    He wishes he was the one who was hit with the bolt instead of him.

 

    He wishes he was the one who was laying there dead instead of him.

 

    “Let him go, Alec” Madzie says as she reaches up, covering his hand with her significantly smaller one. “Let him go…”

 

    Sniffling quietly to himself, Alec tightens his hold as he shifts his body. The people surrounding him move back a little to allow him room so he could stand up properly. Alec keeps his eyes locked on Magnus’ face as he stands up. There’s a moment of stillness before he finally allowed Ragnor to take Magnus from his hold; he’s a little reluctant about it at first but with Jace’s comforting hand on his shoulder, he finds the strength to let Magnus go.

 

    “We’ll contact you if any change happens.” Catarina reassures in a gentle voice. “But don’t wait up. Don’t… Don’t get your hopes up too high. The spell has a 95% fail rate.”

 

    Alec ignores her heavy words as he brushes some locks away from his lover’s forehead with a trembling hand. His eyes feel swollen with the amount of tears he’s been shedding but he can’t find it in himself to stop crying so much. So he leans down to press a feather gentle kiss to Magnus’ chapped, cold lips.

 

    “You and me,” he whispers, “we always find our way back to each other. So come back to me, Magnus. Come back to me. I’ll wait for you until the end of time if I have to.”

 

    Catarina opens a portal and Madzie is the first to go through it. When Ragnor turns to follow the sorceress through, Alec takes a step forward as if he changed his mind. Isabelle grabs his arm in a firm grip that grounds him, making him stop in his tracks and instead watch Ragnor disappear into the portal. Catarina pivots to trail behind her lover only to stop in her tracks. She peers over at Asmodeus as she hovers in hesitation. After making up her mind, she approached the Demon and gathers him in her arms, easily carrying him. Before she steps through the portal, she makes brief contact with Alec and sends him a small smile. The portal closes behind her.

 

    It begins to rain just as another tear rolls down Alec’s cheek.

 

 

* * *

  
  
  


    When they step through the threshold of the Institute some time later, Alec can’t find it in himself to look up. His eyes are glued at the blood on his hands and the faint scent of Magnus’ scent on his shirt. He tunes out the entire world, everyone around him, as he makes his way past his own mother, not even responding to her calls. He moves past everyone even as they stop to look at him. He ignores them all, feeling suffocated by their stares, by their shocked silence, and instead quickly makes his way towards his office. Jace sends his mother a withering look before he chases after Alec with Isabelle hot on his tail.

 

    “Call for a meeting if you would, please” Rafael speaks when he approached Maryse. “I believe we have some… grim news.” She looks confused and worried but nods, swiftly turning to the intercom to announce an immediate meeting in  the ops room. Rafael, Clary, and Simon walk up to the steps to stand on the leveled platform that Alec would always stand on when addressing everyone. Simon turns his head to look at Clary, who was looking down at the ground; her lower lip was trembling as she wrapped her arms around herself, trying to keep herself together as she heaved a sob. Simon frowns and tugs her to his chest, hugging his friend close as he too tries to keep his own sobs at bay. Rafael stood in front of them, acting more collected than he really is when all he wants to do is be alone.

 

    There’s silence for a couple minutes after everyone had finished gathering in front of him. There’s a thick tension hanging above them and Rafael doesn’t quite know how to begin, because he knows when he begins talking about it, he’ll fall apart.

 

    “A couple hours ago, Alec led us on a private mission,” he finally starts once he’s got a grasp on himself, “Catarina and Ragnor had approached us with news about Magnus, about his decision to isolate himself in his own realm, summon Lucifer, and battle him himself. Magnus intended on shattering his realm around them both to insure the safety of the entire world, to make sure no one else had to die unless it was Lucifer. He knew the risks. He knew he would crumble as well, and completely accepted that.

 

    Catarina and Ragnor had trouble comprehending his decision, so they came to us in hopes that we could rescue Magnus out of the realm before things took a turn. We agreed but it didn’t take long for Lucifer’s demons to take notice. We were captured rather quickly and imprisoned in some kind of anti-magic, anti-rune cage of sorts… There was nothing we could do but watch Magnus battle Lucifer while also using his strength to both crumble the realm and protect us from Lucifer’s blows. We aimed to prevent the death of a dear friend but instead we… we got in the way. We made things harder for Magnus.

 

    In the end, Lucifer aimed two lightning bolts. One at us and one at him. Magnus had a choice: save himself, end this apocalypse once and for all, or watch his loves ones die.”

 

    Rafael pauses his speech and looks down at his feet as he swallows, “He chose to fall if it meant that we all could live.”

 

    Clary lets out a wail and Simon stumbles to catch her as her knees give out. She buries herself into his chest as he brings her closer. Rafael closes his eyes at the sound of her sobs and clenches his shaking fists. He hears the shocked murmurs from in front of him.

 

    “Magnus died for a reason” he declares with a firmness to his tone that shut the murmurs up. “He didn’t die in vain for us to continue cowering in fear. He died for us to continue fighting in his place. Lucifer escaped — he’s out there now and we need to stop him. And I,” he sighs and rubs a palm over his face, “I know I’m not your leader. I know I’m not the Head of the Institute, so I don’t have the right to order any of you around but… I’m more than ready to continue Magnus’ fight. I will fight in his name and I will take anyone who is willing to go with me.”

 

    When he looks up, none of the Shadowhunters in front of him seem keen to follow him with the information of their strongest asset no longer around. But he does spot his Clan members in the back standing with straight shoulders. He makes eye contact with them and feels a wave of relief wash over him when they give him nods of approval.

 

    “I’m not expecting all of you to join in my efforts. Not right away, at least. The loss we’re facing is heavy and I... “ Rafael felt his throat squeeze as his resolve began to break. “My father, he… he was my hero. When the entire world viewed him as a monster, as a demon sitting on a throne, I saw him as Magnus Bane; as a man with warm eyes, with kind hands that guided me through life, and a welcoming smile. I saw him for who he is. I saw through his facade, his mask, his lies — I saw the good in him that everyone refused to believe existed. I’m aware that some of you still may think he’s a monster like the Clave no doubt does, but… he saved us. Not just me, Simon, Clary, Alec — he saved  _ all _ of us. And while Lucifer is loose, he is weakened. He is vulnerable. Without his wings, he’s slowly fading away but he still possesses the power to control his army. The world is still at risk, yes, but please… give some time to mourn for the man that fell so we could continue standing.”

 

    Even after showering and getting rid of the dirt and blood off of him, he still feels grimy. He still feels the nagging warmth of Magnus’ blood on his hands. And whenever he closes his eyes, all he can see is Magnus’ body on the ground; staring at him with wide, fearful eyes as his trembling fingers reach out to him and his lips parting to murmur his name.

 

    He hasn’t been able to sleep. He’s refused too; afraid of what his subconscious will bring him and the pain of what happened to resurface in his nightmares. He hasn’t been able to eat either. It’s barely been 5 hours and Alec had successfully locked himself up completely in his office, setting up the Privacy ward that Ragnor had installed; allowing no passage and no visitors. It’s barely been 5 hours and all Alec has been able to do (aside from scrubbing himself so hard in the shower that he nearly bled) is sit on his bed and stare at a wall. He’s spent a good amount of time crying but now he just feels… empty. Void of any emotion; like a blank canvas that no one wants to paint on.

 

    He had forgotten he left the balcony door open but couldn’t find the will to get up and close it. The curtains to the balcony flowed slowly in the wind, allowing the moon to cast a glow in the dark room. It catches onto an item that’s sitting on his nightstand. Alec sees it glitter in the corner of his eye and turns to look at it. His heart wrenches at the sight of the ring Magnus had given him sitting there with the moonlight shining down on it. It takes him a moment but he finally lets himself reach forward to gently grab the ring. The item laid delicately in the middle of his palm; weightless and graceful despite its peril simplicity. He glances at the ‘M’ engraved on it and watches with belated breathes, waiting for a red glow to appear.

 

    But nothing.

 

    There was nothing.

 

    Alec curls his hand around the ring and suddenly feels the onslaught of tears hit him once again. He shifts his body and lays down on his back so he could stare up at his ceiling. Recalling the moment Magnus gave him the ring, he closes his eyes and lets the tenderness of it all flood his mind.

 

    It was just when Magnus finished sparring against him and Jace.

 

> _ Alec grunts quietly as he leans forward, carefully placing Magnus down on to the bed. Magnus hisses in pain and Jace quickly fumbles with a pillow before gently, slowly lifting the wounded leg to place the pillow underneath it. Once it’s placed back down on to the pillow, Magnus’ scrunched expression loosens a little and his chest heaves as he exhales deeply. _
> 
>  
> 
> _ “Magnus, again, I’m so sorry” Jace apologizes, guilt laced in his expression. Magnus gives him a look. “I mean I know I didn’t know about it but still. I’m not just apologizing about hitting you there, I’m apologizing for my behavior. I was arrogant. I was cocky, I was pushy, and I was provoking someone that I should’ve never dared to anger. We came to you asking for help and there I was, asking for a damn fight and,” he groans and rubs his hands all over his face before messing his blonde locks up angrily, “I literally asked for an ass whoop and you gave it to me so on behalf of me and Alec—” Jace pauses briefly to send a sharp look at his parabatai, who smirks a little to himself “—thank you for that.” _
> 
>  
> 
> _ Magnus laughs lightly. “Oh, it was my pleasure. I always thoroughly enjoy putting a smug Shadowhunter in his place.” _
> 
>  
> 
> _ “I’m gonna head back down there,” Jace says as he pats Alec on the back on his way out. “Try not to move your leg that much, Magnus. If there’s a problem, just uh… send a fire message or something.” _
> 
>  
> 
> _ Alec pivots around to follow him out only to stop in the doorway. He lingers for a few seconds then swiftly turns around and marches back to Magnus’ bed. _
> 
>  
> 
> _ “Teach me how to deflect demonic lightning.” He requests.  _
> 
>  
> 
> _ Magnus eyebrows raise to his hairline. “I beg your pardon?” _
> 
>  
> 
> _ “Teach me how to deflect demonic lightning.” Alec repeats, even firmer than the first time. Magnus’ mouth is ajar in shock before he clamps it shut, swallowing thickly and slowly closing the book that he plucked from his nightstand drawer. _
> 
>  
> 
> _ “You wish to deflect demonic lightning  _ because _?” He drawls wearily.  _
> 
>  
> 
> _ “So  _ that _ ” Alec gestures to the scar on Magnus’ leg “doesn’t happen again. To anyone.” _
> 
>  
> 
> _ Magnus silences as his bourbon eyes study Alec’s determined expression. He’s cautious in his study before he relaxes some; the corner of his mouth lifting in a small smile. _
> 
>  
> 
> _ “You’re officially the most confusing Shadowhunter I’ve ever met, Alexander” he muses lightheartedly.  _
> 
>  
> 
> _ Alec frowns as his eyebrows draw together, then he asks meekly “Is that… a bad thing?” _
> 
>  
> 
> _ “Definitely not, I assure you,” Magnus chuckles, setting his book on to the nightstand. “You’re not like any other Shadowhunter I’ve ever met before. Your Institute is… remarkable.  _ You’re _ remarkable.” Alec dips his head shyly as he feels a blush rise to his cheeks. “Normal people would run and hide at the sight of me yet you stood there wanting to get closer. Normal people wouldn’t dare try to touch me, let alone insist on welcoming me into their own home.” _
> 
>  
> 
> _ “Well, I’m not like ‘normal people.’” grinned Alec. _
> 
>  
> 
> _ Magnus matches his grin with one of his own. “You sure aren’t, Alexander.” A pause. “I will teach you how to deflect lightning but obviously, not right now.” A ring decorated hand vaguely gestures to his leg. “I’m a little crippled at the moment and my magic is a bit unstable because of the hit. But whenever we get a spare moment, I will teach you.” _
> 
>  
> 
> _ Alec tries to hide the beam that threatens to explode on his face, he really does. “Thank you. I look forward to it. Now, uh, rest up. I’ll probably pop back in and check-up on you once the training is finished.” _
> 
>  
> 
> _ “Wait, Alec!” Magnus calls out before Alec could disappear completely out of the room. The said male immediately twists his body around to blink back at him. He walks back towards the bed when Magnus beckons at him to come close. Alec watches as Magnus removes one of his rings and hold out a hand towards him. He perks a questioning eyebrow at him. _
> 
>  
> 
> _ “Are you proposing or something?” He teases. _
> 
>  
> 
> _ Magnus sputters, “No!” Alec grins at the hue of scarlet dusting on the warlock’s cheeks. Magnus rolls his eyes and huffs out a sigh before snatching one of Alec’s hands. He slaps the ring on to his palm and encloses his fist around it. _
> 
>  
> 
> _ “Alright, then if you aren’t proposing then why are you giving me one of your rings?” Alec inquires in confusion. He opens his hand and brings the ring close to his face, completely ignoring the pointed look Magnus levels him with. _
> 
>  
> 
> _ “Think of it as a testament to my gratitude” Magnus suggests flatly. There’s a hint of sarcasm on his tongue that makes the corner of Alec’s mouth lift in a lopsided grin. “You’re more caring than you come off to be and I sure as hell don’t deserve your kindness but what you said back there moved me, Alexander, however if you’re gonna continue teasing me I can just take it back.” _
> 
>  
> 
> _ Alec holds the ring out of reach with a ‘nuh-uh’ when Magnus attempts to grab it. “No take backs on a gift, Magnus.” The warlock squints at him. “That’s, like, the basic rule of gift-giving.” _
> 
>  
> 
> _ “You sound like a Mundane.” Magnus deadpans. _
> 
>  
> 
> _ “Guess it doesn’t help that Simon is around far too much for my liking” Alec sighs and turns his attention back to the ring. “Him and Clary are always telling us about Mundane traditions and terms all the time.” He looks over at Magnus and smiles a little at the sight of him rolling his eyes. He pockets the ring. “Thank you for your gift, Magnus. I will treasure this ring with every breath I take.” _
> 
>  
> 
> _ Magnus sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose as he mutters, “I’m starting to regret my decision already.” He’s trying to look angry but by the way Alec laughs, he’s unsuccessful. _
> 
>  
> 
> _ “Rest up. I’ll be back shortly.” Alec brushes his hand against Magnus’ bicep before turning to leave the room. Magnus watches him go, eyes softening with every step he took. _
> 
>  
> 
> _ “I hope one day you won’t have to use that ring, Alexander.” He says quietly to an empty room. _
> 
>  

    When Alec opens his eyes, the tears escape and roll down his cheeks. He clutches the ring tighter in his palm, feeling it dig into his skin. Deciding to place the ring back onto his nightstand, he turns over on to his side and faces the other side of the bed; where Magnus lay only yesterday. Alec reaches out and tentatively touches the pillow before gripping on to the silk fabric. He pulls the pillow to his chest and buries his face into it; weeping into the fabric as he catches a whiff of Magnus’ scent.

 

    The sudden strike of a memory hits him once again, making his cries quiet.

 

_     “If I fall, then so be it,” Magnus pants as he blocks one of Lucifer’s swipes. “But I know damn well that when I do, you’ll have a group of Nephilims banging on your front door.” _

 

    Sniffling quietly, Alec hugs the pillow to his chest and curls up. And when he closes his eyes, his mind whirls with what tomorrow may bring, of the pain today had caused, and the determination to continue fighting flaring in his veins.   
  


 

* * *

 

  
    “Good afternoon” Alec greets from his spot on the elevated platform. Everyone had gathered in front of him on the lower section for yet another impromptu meeting. “Thank you for coming to this meeting. I’ve been notified that Rafael had informed you all about the tragedy that happened yesterday but I wish to explain a little further. To give you all more context that Rafael gave. 

 

    We were imprisoned in a cage that didn’t allow magic or runes at all. We were trapped. With the realm literally shattering around us, Magnus battling Lucifer while also trying to prevent us from getting hit with blasts, the only thing we could do was watch. But then I had an idea. A… rather careless idea but I had to do something. So, I drew a pentagram out of my own blood to summon Asmodeus.”

 

    Murmurs instantly filled the room and his mother gasped his name in disbelief.

 

    “I figured… if Asmodeus was fighting to save his son’s life, then maybe he’d be willing to help us. What I didn’t expect was Madzie to show up.” Alec sighs, shaking his head. “For some unknown reasons, the pentagram that I drew somehow broke the cage Asmodeus was locked in but he was too weak from his battle so he sent Madzie to aid us instead. Madzie got us out of the cage and… and that’s when it happened.” A gentle hand appeared on his shoulder. He didn’t need to turn around to know that it was Jace. “Lucifer aimed a bolt of demonic lightning at him but a bigger one at us; giving the choice of his own death or ours. So… Magnus deflected the bolt aimed at us and let the other one strike him,” he lifts a quaking hand to point in the middle of his chest, “right here. In his chest and I… I felt it. I felt the impact, I felt his pain. I felt his fear, his regrets, his sorrow. I felt it all. I wish I… I wish I could’ve made it better.”

 

    “You did everything you could” Jace soothes as he squeezes his shoulder. “We all did.”

 

    “But it wasn’t enough,” Alec grits his teeth angrily and lets his arm fall to his side. “It wasn’t enough and because of us, because of our carelessness, he’s gone. Magnus is  _ gone _ and I… I feel this emptiness in my heart, in my soul, that can only be filled by him.

 

    When Magnus got hit, I ran to him. I held him in my arms and all he could say to me was ‘aku cinta kamu’. I don’t even know what it means, he couldn’t tell me, but he acted as if it was something that I needed to hear. And then Asmodeus appeared when Lucifer tried to hit both of us with more lightning. He protected us from it. But then began chanting. I didn’t understand at first however Catarina said that Asmodeus was using this forbidden spell.”

 

    “It was a Life Exchange spell.” Isabelle clarifies after a moment. “Asmodeus used the spell to give his life to Magnus, fully knowing that the spell has a low success rate and that their souls could be lost forever.”

 

    Rafael steps to Alec’s side and gives him a soft, reassuring smile. “When I was young, Ragnor spoke to me about a legend that’s similar to the Mundane term soulmates. It’s called  _ Fatali Animarum _ . Latin for Fated Souls. It’s when two souls in the Shadow World were bound to meet; created solely for each other. It’s also quite similar to the Parabatai Rune. Once the souls meet, a connection is formed. They can feel each other’s pain and emotions. If their connection is strong enough, they can communicate telepathically as well. At first, it was only an idea that Alec and Magnus were  _ Fatali Animarum _ . But when Magnus had that breakdown and I witnessed Alec channeling his emotions, I knew. I knew that, like all legends, it was true.” 

 

    He squeezes Alec’s shoulder before moving forward, shoulders tensing. “However, it’s more than just that. It’s rare for an immortal to be paired with a mortal. In this case, with Magnus being a warlock and Alec being a Shadowhunter, Alec is, well… pretty much immortal himself but not quite. His aging process is slower compared to everyone else’s and with Magnus’ soul being attached to his, Alec’s abilities has been heightened since they met. His archery skills has improved greatly, he can predict his target’s movements before they make it. And when he drew the pentagram out of his blood, it broke Asmodeus’ cage. Why? Because like I said, Magnus’ soul is bound to his. Magnus’ realm recognized Alec when he entered it for the first time. When Magnus healed one of Alec’s wounds after he was possessed, his magic not only recognized him but a bit of dripped into him.”

 

    “Are you saying that I can do magic?” Alec asks.

 

    Rafael shakes his head. “No, not quite. A very, very small dose of Magnus’ magic runs through you, but it only aides in heightening your senses, stretching out your lifespan, and strengthening your abilities, your runes tenfold. So when you drew the pentagram to summon Asmodeus’ father, Magnus’ magic reached beyond that to seek your request. It broke the cage Asmodeus was trapped in and guided him to you even when the pentagram got destroyed as the realm broke.”

 

    “What do we do now?” A Shadowhunter calls out from the crowd. “Lucifer is loose now.”

 

    Alec inhales through his nose then exhales. “Magnus fought Lucifer and weakened him to a state where he could be easily defeated by us. He started that fight fully knowing that we’re capable of finishing it… So that’s what I intend to do. While Lucifer was weakened, his demons weren’t. We know where he’s hiding, we know where to go to bring the fight to him. I know Rafael and his clan are willing to join the fight but I’m not about to force any of you. So if none of are you are willing to come with us and end this ourselves, I won’t hold it against you. If none of you wish fight alongside me, then I won’t blame you for leaving this room right now.”

 

    Alec’s firm eyes scanned the many faces in front of him as he silently waited for their answers. He watched many of them exchange looks with their neighbors. He watched as none of them, not a single one of them, left the room. They all just stared up at him, matching his determined expression, and he feels his chest swell in pride.

 

    “This fight will not be easy,” Alec addresses. “He has a big army but if we focus our point of attack on Lucifer, then the demons won’t have a leader or a source of command to follow. They’ll either flee back to Hell or perish at our hands. We’re still developing a solid plan of what exactly we need to do other than barge in with weapons drawn. We need to do this carefully and we need to bring the element of surprise with us. So for now, we'll spend the day training. Izzy has memorized the sparring lessons Catarina and Ragnor has taught us so she’ll be leading an all day training event in the courtyard starting in an hour. Dismissed.”

 

    The crowd dissipates quickly as they dash towards their living quarters to begin preparing for the training event. Alec watches them leave before he turns to address his friends.

 

“Simon, you’ll be joining the training event as well” he declares, pointing a finger towards the vampire “You’ll be more useful in the fight if you actually knew how to fight. Mom, could you watch over the Institute for the next couple of days?”

 

    Maryse nodded. “Of course I will. I’ll have Luke assist me with keeping watch over Brooklyn.”

 

    “Good. Now” Alec turns away from them and glides down the small staircase, “begin preparations. We’ve got a war to win.”

 

* * *

 

    Jace wiped the sweat off of his forehead with the hem of his shirt. He lets go of the fabric and straightens his shoulders as he uncaps his water bottle. His eyes scan the courtyard to study the large crowd of Shadowhunter’s he is huddled with. They’ve been training vigorously for quite some time by now. Izzy had given them a handful of breaks but they were about 30 minutes long, so it’s not like it wasn’t fair. It gave them all enough time to go to the bathroom, clean up a bit, eat, chat amongst themselves, or even take a quick nap.

 

    Isabelle has been a bit relentless in her teachings, but it shows just how focused, how determined, and how strong she really is. It got everyone invested to be as concentrated as she was and soon, the progress everyone had made from stumbling around with bamboo sticks to pretty much being on the same level as Catarina herself.

 

    “Hey” Clary approached his side and touches his arm. “Izzy called off the training for today. It’s nearly 11 at night.”

 

    Jace nods as he chugs the remaining water. “And I suppose Alec is calling for a brief meeting before he dismisses all of us?”

 

    “Yeah, I think he’s figured out a plan. He said something about wanting to leave tomorrow morning.” Clary chews on her bottom lip before gently turning Jace so he could face her. “Do you think we can do it? I mean, yeah, Lucifer has weakened but he’s still the Devil and he’s got the entirety of Hell at his side.”

 

    He frowns at the insecurity flashing across her eyes and sets his bottle down before cupping her face in his hands. “Are you kidding? Of course we can do this. If we can defeat Lilith and Jonathan, we can defeat this son of a bitch too,” he promises. Clary leans into his palms and reaches up to gently grasp his wrist in her hand. She sighs and falls silent for a moment before a smile begins to tug at her lips.

 

    “Jace, I know our wedding is only a few months away, but I… I think I decided on what last name I want to take.” Jace raises an eyebrow and she giggles at the look. “Don’t give me that look — you always struggled with which name is your last name. Wayland, Lightwood, Herondale. So I think with me choosing, you could feel a bit better about your identity maybe.”

 

    “Alright” Jace chuckles and brings her close. “What do you choose then?”

 

    She smiles at him and answers, “Lightwood.” That surely catches Jace off guard. “Ever since I lost my mom, I knew I wasn’t going to have a complete family ever again. Then I found out about Jonathan and I… I had to put a stop to him before he destroyed the Shadow World. Then I got closer to you, Izzy, Alec, and even your mom. Luke is already my father figure so him dating your mom is just a plus so…”

 

    “So you want to  _ officially _ be in the Lightwood family.” Jace finishes, a smile slowly pulling at his lips.

 

    “Izzy has always been like my sister, and it would only make sense for me to be a Lightwood since we’re going to be parabatai soon.” She effused. Excitement was lighting up in her face. “And Alec, sure we didn’t get along for quite some time in the beginning, but I look at him like an older brother now. Maryse has been a role model and—”

 

    Jace cuts her off by connecting their lips in searing kiss. She makes a noise of surprise but is quick to reciprocate. He wraps his arms around her small waist and presses their bodies together. Eventually, he pulls away from air and rests his forehead to hers.

 

    “Jace Lightwood. Clary Lightwood. I like the sound of that,” he gushes with a wide grin. She matches his grin and launches her tiny self to him in a tight hug, a squeal leaving her lips followed by laughter as he picks her up and spins her around.

 

    “They’re so cute together” Simon comments as he joins Isabelle’s side; both of them watching Jace and Clary. “Like disgustingly cute. Sometimes I can’t even stand it.”

  
  


[ mood ↺ “tomorrow we fight” by svrcina ]

  
  


    Isabelle snorts and places the wet towel around her neck to help cool her down. “After all Clary’s been through, she deserves a happy ending. If Jace is her happy ending, then I’ll support it all the way.”

 

    He turns to look at her before leaning in to press a kiss to her cheek. She smiles endearingly at him and returns the affectionate act with a kiss on his lips. Simon watches her walk away to join her brother’s side as he prepares to begin his announcement, a smile etched permanently on his lips. He shakes his head a little and goes to follow her when he notices Rafael sending him an odd look. When Simon frowns at him in confusion, Rafael makes a gesture to his lips. Quickly, Simon wipes his mouth with his sleeve and gaps at the sight of Isabelle’s smeared lipstick staining his shirt. He quickly wipes his lips once more before dashing to join his girlfriend’s side. She notices his frantic actions and practically peels over in laughter.

 

    “Thank you all for your hard work today. You’ve all worked hard and today was long so I’ll try to keep this speech as short as I can so you can get your well-earned rest.” Alec dabbed his towel against his temple as he addressed the crowd in front of him. “During breaks, I met up with Rafael and we spoke more in depth about the plan. We decided that it’d be better to enter Hell with stealth. We don’t wish to spook any demons on our way in, so we’ll need to be extra careful. Now, the only way to even get into Hell is by portal or by drawing a pentagram. So, unfortunately, we’ll need a Warlock to aid us either way. We’ve sent a fire message to Catarina and Ragnor to see if they’d help us and they’ve agreed but only to that extent; they don’t wish to take part in our battle, for they wish to continue their ritual. Something about them channeling their energy into Magnus to give power to the spell Asmodeus casted — anyways, we’ve agreed on a time and place. We’ll be heading to the nearest beach at 9am sharp.”

 

    “The training session is over and I can’t say how proud I am of each of you,” Isabelle praises with a beaming smile. “You’ve all made so much progress within the matter of hours. It’s so moving to see you all determined and energized to finally make our own stand against Lucifer. It’s almost 11 o’clock so I think it’s about time to dismiss.”

 

    “One more thing” Alec cuts in before everyone could turn to leave. “I just… I just wanted to say thank you. Having you all stand here and agree to fight with me, it means a lot. We’re paving the way for the new generation of Shadowhunters and I wouldn’t be able to do that if you guys weren’t as understanding and as open… I’m sure Magnus would be just as proud to see werewolves, vampires, and Shadowhunters band together to defeat Lucifer.”

 

    Luke looks over at Rafael and shares a smug smirk with him before playfully bumping their shoulders together. Simon puffs his chest out and lifts a hand to fist bump Maia and Bat.

 

    “So with that said,” Alec takes a calculated step forward as his hazel eyes sweep the sea of faces staring at him. “Sleep for today but tomorrow we fight.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. The finale was last night. I'm not going to reveal any spoilers in case some of you haven't watched it yet, but... I can dare say I'm actually kind of satisfied with the ending? I expected something so angsty and heavy that I dreaded everything about the finale but it was left so open and hopeful that I can't really be bitter about it. The only thing I'm bitter about is Freeform & Netflix. There's been this argument on my Twitter feed where they've been putting the blame on each other for ending Shadowhunters. Like bitch, I don't care WHO was behind the cancellation, the point is: a popular show that mean a shit ton to fans got cancelled for a stupid fucking reason and no one fought for it to continue other than the fans, who are STILL fighting with the #SaveShadowhunters campaign. Fuck Freeform. Fuck Netflix. I want my fucking show back and you bet your ass I'm gonna die trying.
> 
> Other than that, Malec got married. Wbk this would happen but how it was displayed was *cheff kiss*
> 
> Oh, and the polls that I created - I totally forgot to address them in the last update. The results for poll one is that many people voted for 'Hell yes' in answer for Malec getting engaged. So congrats, yall will get a double Malec wedding; one from the show and one from here. The other poll about the song that I would use for the upcoming Badass!Alec scene was chosen and it was "I'm Not Afraid" by Wondra. Hope you all look forward to both scenes!


	9. everything changes when the sun goes down (i don't wanna hurt no more)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "If I could turn back the clock  
> I'd make sure the light defeated the dark  
> I'd spend every hour, of every day  
> Keeping you safe  
> And I'd climb every mountain  
> And swim every ocean  
> Just to be with you  
> And fix what I've broken"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tweet at me @itsamalecthing with your thoughts and/or use the hashtag #WoHfic! Hope you enjoy!

He spent the entire night tossing and turning. He just couldn’t fall asleep. Mind and body wide awake, sleep was no longer desirable. Instead, he seemed to be pumped with energy, with the determined adrenaline for what tomorrow holds. So after countless hours of fruitless attempts for some shut eye, Alec launches out of bed with a huff; aiming to get rid of this pent up energy so he could calm his nerves. He snags his quiver and bow as he marches out of his room, duly noting the time displayed on his alarm clock. 2:26am. 

 

As he walked down the corridors, it was eerily empty and quiet. Everyone was pretty much asleep except for the assigned night-shifters. Some were ordered to patrol the streets, keep an eye out in case trouble stirs up in the dark. Others were told to keep guard both in and out of the Institute just in case a Possessing Demon managed to get in (they’ve installed a more  _ precautious _ security check after the incident with Underhill). Of course there were the occasional night owls lurking here and there. Alec would always stumble upon people in the archive studying runes or just reading some of their vast collection of books, or someone practicing their dueling against dummies in the training room.

 

Walking through the ops room, he sees the room completely empty. The silence it bares in comparison to the normal chaos and noise he’ll see during the day is a little unsettling. He almost feels uncomfortable as he passed through to enter another hallway on the other side of the room. 

 

    As a Shadowhunter, Alec was trained to take quietness as a warning sign. Any quick movements, odd sounds or behavior, were to be taken into consideration. If you were to be trained to become a Shadowhunter, you were expected to hone in on your senses, keep a hawk eye on  _ everything _ in your sight, and never once let your guard down.

 

    It doesn’t take long for Alec to reach his destination: a secluded, open area that was rarely ever used by anyone else in the Institute aside from him. It was like a medium-sized courtyard. There were a few practice dummies on both sides, all with holes and scraps from Alec’s arrows and blades. There was also a large punching bag stand, a standing speed ball, and several bulls eyes littered all across the yard (in tree branches, on moving target stations, and on dummies). It was also outside and completely open to nature and fresh air so Alec didn’t feel suffocated; sometimes the air in the training room would get thick with sweat and hormones that it would make him nearly gag and, unfortunately, the windows didn’t open.

 

    Deciding to first get rid of most of his energy out on the punching bag, he sets his bow and quiver down on to a table and pulls his training gloves out of his pocket. He’s already got his wireless bluetooth earbuds in, blasting some random song to focus in tact. He’s punching the bag a lot harder than he really shout but all of his anger and frustration leaks out of his fists without fully intending to. If it wasn’t for his loud music blasting his ears, he would hear the distinct smacks of his fists against the punching bag.

 

    The moon hung perfectly above him, illuminating the entire yard so that Alec didn’t even need to take a second to turn on the lights. It was strange to train like this in the dark; he was so used to having the sun above him with the warmth beating down on his shoulders. But now, he finds out that he actually likes being here in the dark. No one around to disturb him or call him away from his  _ I-am-feeling-too-much-right-now-I-need-to-let-it-out _ alone time (he remembered one time Jace stormed through and demanded for Alec to return to the ops room despite knowing that Alec was still rightfully pissed about getting forced into an arranged marriage, and Jace ended up nearly suffering with a broken nose).

 

    It’s quite rare for Alec to uncap his emotions, much less talk them out with someone. He always believed emotions were a distraction so he spent years trying to cut them all off (of course when he met Simon and Clary, they joked about him being Spock, whoever the hell that is). However, after a few years and especially after Underhill, Alec realized he wasn’t living the life that he wanted to. So he made a bold statement during his not-wedding by declaring  _ ‘yeah no I’m gay bye’ _ when asked if he took Lydia as his lawfully wedded wife then promptly left the wedding hall. Isabelle about pissed herself laughing and Jace actually high-fived him on his way out. It was a rocky road after that with his parents (side note: his mother mainly) but eventually, they both came around. Since then, Alec no longer feels like a caged bird.

 

    Moving on from the punching bag, he grabs his bow and a few arrows. Ever since he set up this little area of his, Alec has made sure to move the targets around to different places. If they were in the same spot all the time, would it really be considered training? So he made smaller targets, hid them in less visible places and would even try blindfolding himself. He’d come up with new ideas to train better, train harder.  


 

    Alec aims an arrow at a low, small target hidden in a thick bush when movement shifts in his peripheral vision. His Shadowhunter instincts immediately kick in and he whips around, shooting the arrow before his brain registers the face of his parabatai walking towards him. Jace is lucky enough to have quick reflexes or else he would’ve had an arrow in the knee. Alec quickly yanks his earbuds out, an apology on his tongue and a weird sense of deja vu igniting in his chest.

 

    “Listen, Alec, you’re great at archery but I’d prefer if you’d not turn me into a Skyrim meme.” Jace scolds lightheartedly before taking notice of Alec’s confused expression. He waves a dismissive hand and snorts, “I’ve been hanging around Clary and Simon too much — anyways, the hell are you doing out here? It’s nearly 5am, man.”

 

    Alec blinks dumbly. “It’s been 3 hours already?”

 

    “You’ve been out here for  _ 3 hours _ ?” Jace exclaims, his eyebrows shooting up to his hairline. “Wow, why am I even surprised? You were once out here for 7 hours straight once.”

 

    “Pummeling the shit out of that dummy with the image of Underhill, yeah, I know,” Alec grins as he sets his bow on to the table. “The answer as to why I’m out here should be obvious, but what are you doing up? You’re not a morning person.”

 

    Jace scoffs, “Understatement of the year. Us Lightwoods are  _ never _ a morning person.”

 

    “Izzy is.”

 

    “I swear if she bangs on my door before the sun is even up one more time, I’m going to burn all of her Prada.” Alec laughs at the bitterness of Jace’s tone, despite both of them knowing it’s an empty threat. “Besides,” Jace continues after a moment, “did you forget that my room is right up there?”

 

    Alec raises his head to where Jace is pointing and spots an open window on the 5th floor then lets out a quiet  _ oh _ in realization.

 

    “I got woken up by your angry punching. You’re lucky that damn bag held up. I’m surprised the chain didn’t fucking break.”

 

    “Sorry,” Alec scrunches his face a little as he apologizes. “I guess I… was a little too into it.”

 

    Jace made a  _ no duh _ look before walking further into the courtyard as he rolled up his sleeves. “Since I’m here, I might as well join you. You don’t mind, do you? I know this is your little getaway place.”

 

    Alec shook his head, hang lifting vaguely in a  _ go ahead _ gesture as he took a few sips out of his water bottle.

 

    “So,” Jace grunts as he lands a solid punch against the dummy, “have you and Raphael figured out exactly what the plan is for later or no?”

 

    “I was thinking about having Izzy lead the stealth part of the mission.” Alec hums idly as he readies another arrow. “I may be keen on archery but she’s a lot better on sneaking around than I am.” Jace lets out a noise of agreement. “She’ll lead a decently sized squad towards the entrance of Lucifer’s lair and once given the signal, she’ll begin distracting them while me, you, and the others charge in. I have no doubt there’ll be more demons inside but we just gotta push through until we get to Lucifer.”

 

    “Then what?”

 

    Alec lets go of the arrow and emits a breathe when it lands perfectly in the bullseye. “We kill him. Right where he stands.”

 

    It’s a very simple and straightforward plan, almost cliche honestly, but no one wanted to get this done and over with than Alec Lightwood. If he had a shot to kill Lucifer then you’re damn right he’d take it. However, Alec knows the power of those Asmodei, Shax, Ravener, and possessing demons, he knows what they’re capable of. He knows they’ll most likely be regular demons or possibly even Hellhounds but who cares? Those demons will be going against a very large amount of highly skilled Shadowhunters, Vampires, and Werewolves that  _ specialized training _ from the High Warlock of Brooklyn.

 

_     The hunt has just begun. _

 

    “And you’ll be the one to do it?” Jace theorizes in a light tone.

 

    “I’ll be the one to do it,” Alec confirms. “I’m the only one who  _ can _ do it.”

 

    Jace doesn’t argue. He seems to agree with him; feeling as if Alec is the only who can — who  _ must _ — do it.

 

    “For Magnus,” says Jace.

 

    Alec closes his eyes and takes a breathe. “For Magnus.”

 

    They fall into a brief silence before Jace stops punching the dummy and turns to him, a little out of breathe and his cheeks warm. At first, he doesn’t say anything; they just stare at each other. But then Alec feels a quiver in his lower lip, the all too familiar sensation of stinging in his eyes, and then Jace is striding forward to engulf his parabatai in a tight hug. Alec clings on to him with all he has; burying his face into his shoulder and scrunching his sweaty shirt in his fists.

 

    “You can’t keep bottling your emotions up like this, bud” Jace whispers into his hair. “I’m your parabatai. Even with a stoic face, I can tell you’re not okay, so it’s useless to lie to me and it’s useless to lie to Izzy too.”

 

    Alec sniffled, “I know, I know — I’m sorry. It’s just… I thought I needed to be strong. Magnus would want me to be strong if I plan on carrying out this fight. I didn’t want to be breaking down every minutes or even at the mention of his name, I just…” he pulls away and quickly reaches up to wipe his tears, “I figured I’d act strong and then once Lucifer is finally dead gone, I’d… finally allow myself to mourn, to break, to cry. Just not right now. I can’t afford to.”

 

    Jace’s eyes soften. He reaches up to help Alec brush his tears away before grabbing his face, making sure Alec is looking at him before he starts to lecture him, “It’s okay to mourn. It’s okay to cry your heart out. But you wanna know what’s not okay? Falling into old habits, Alec. You were once so shut off from your emotions that it was like living with a robot. You can still cry and be strong enough to pick up your bow and quiver. You can still mourn and find the strength to carry on fighting. You can do both, Alec, so,” Alec squeaks out a rough  _ ow! _ when Jace punches his shoulder, “start doing both or else I might have Izzy cook you breakfast.”

 

    Alec’s eyes widened and he quickly shrieked out, “Don’t you even think about it!” to which Jace laughs at.

 

    “Now come on,” Jace clapped Alec’s shoulder and began moving towards the door, “we both should shower and get a proper meal in unless we plan on going to Hell on an empty stomach smelling like sweat and pheromones.”

 

* * *

 

    “Alright, guys, you know what to do.” Alec concludes his speech. “Stay sharp, have each other’s back, and don’t go anywhere alone. I’ve given everyone an ear piece to communicate further, since we’ll be splitting into separate groups. Those of you with Izzy, go ahead and head through the portal right now. We’ll be following suit in a moment.” He watches a large group follow Isabelle through the portal before he turns to the remaining people. “Those with Maryse, you’ll be staying behind to keep an eye on the portal. Close it when we’re all through and remain there so that we can all meet up once this mess is finally over. We’ve assigned a decent sized group to remain at the Institute for medical treatment in case anyone gets hurt. Jace will be leading a team to create a path for the rest of us once we reach Lucifer’s lair.”

 

    “Have the final preparations for the Alliance runes been completed?” Isabelle questions when Clary walks over to them, stele in her hand. She nods at her.

 

    “Remind me again why Alec doesn’t need an Alliance rune? And why we even need it in the first place?” Simon complains as he rubs his shoulder gingerly.

 

    Rafael perks an eyebrow over at the Daylighter. “Because some of Magnus’ magic runs through him, so the dimensions of Hell will recognize him as one of their own. And although we’re Downworlders, we don’t want to risk our Nephilim friends here to turn to ash the second they step through that portal.”

 

    Clary friends at her childhood friend as she slings an arm around his shoulder. “Oh come on, Si. I got your vampire speed and strength, you got… uh, well, you better senses.” Simon gives her a dead stare but she just smiles sweetly at him, pats him on the shoulder, then skips away.

 

    “Remember,” Maia begins when she steps to Isabelle’s side, “you have the strength of a werewolf now. I’m not entirely sure if you can shift but in case you do, you better go prepared. Whenever I feel my emotions beginning to spiral, I picture a happy memory to calm myself down. So get an idea of a happy memory and keep that towards the surface, okay?”

 

    Isabelle, who was listening intently with a focused furrow of her brow, nods quickly.

 

    “And what exactly is your power again?” Jace asks Meliorn, who had joined them in the midst of breakfast after deciding to go rogue against his Queen.

 

    “Wait until you take your lover to bed and then you’ll find out,” insinuates Meliorn with a hint of amusement flashing across his eyes when Jace’s eyes widen.

 

    “Thank you for coming” Alec said quietly when he approaches Catarina and Ragnor. “I know you’re both busy with the ritual and all. I hope we didn’t take up much of your time.”

 

    Ragnor scoffs and waves a hand dismissively, “Nonsense. Madzie’s holding it up well while we’re out here. Catarina will be staying back to reopen the portal but I’ll be going shortly after it closes.”

 

    “Good luck, Alec.” Catarina says, a look of concern written on her face. “I hope you win this.”

 

    “Me too,” he agrees.

 

    One by one, they enter the portal and just like Alec suspected, it seemed that each group got transported to a different spot in the realm. He glances around himself and scans the faces of his peers, counting each head to make sure he’s got everyone in his group. His eyes land on Jace, who nods at him, and he concludes his counting. Turning to look ahead, he spots a very tall, ominous looking castle in the far distance. He could make out some specs of demons flying above it. With another glance over at Meliorn and Jace, he leads the group towards the castle.

 

    Back to Isabelle and her group, they’re already near the main entrance of Lucifer’s castle; hiding behind some large rocks as demons crawled about in front of them.

 

    “Do you recognize any of these demons?” Bat asks in a hushed tone. Isabelle peeks out from behind the boulder and scans the several types of demons, identifying most if not all of them.

 

    “There’s more Possessing Demons than Shax and Ravener demons as far as I can tell. But I bet Asmodei are dwelling inside.” She turns to her group to begin addressing them, “Remember: we only move forward once given the approval by Alec. Until then, we remain hidden. We can’t afford to be compromised before he gets here.”

 

    “Since you guys are part angel, you can’t use your runes here,” Maia further adds, “So use your wit and the training given to you. Werewolves and vampires are here to aid you as well, so remember you’re not fighting this battle alone.”

 

    Rafael moves forward and places a hand on the boulder behind Isabelle’s head. The Alliance rune was a great contrast against his wrist in comparison to his pale skin. “In case things go south, what do we do if we’re compromised before Alec and his group arrives?”

 

    “Fight like hell” Isabelle grins at him. “And take down as much as we can.” Rafael smiles a little at her in return before looking back at the demons swarming yards away from them.

 

_     “50 feet from destination” _ Alec’s voice cuts through their earpieces.  _ “How is everyone holding up? Are you all in position?” _

 

_     “Portal is sealed closed. We’re standing guard and at the ready.” _ Maryse informs.

 

_     “We’re on the other end of the sealed portal,” _ Aline pops up,  _ “Helen and I just arrived. Sorry we’re a little late. New York traffic is a hellzone.” _

 

_     “Was that a pun?” _

 

_     “Simon, get off the intercom.” _

 

_     “Sorry.” _

 

_     “No need to apologize, ladies,” _ Alec chuckles  _ “Glad you two could make it. By the way, happy first year.” _

 

_     “Thank you!” _ Helen practically sings in glee.

 

    Isabelle shares an amused look with Maia before she presses her earpiece to join in,  _ “Glad you two arrived safe and sound. We’re waiting near the entrance just as planned. Just waiting on your signal, Alec.” _

 

_     “We’re waiting on the opposite side of Isabelle. I think I see a perfect entrance for you, Alec.” _ Clary observes.  _ “There’s no demon in sight around it so it’s the perfect ambush spot.” _

 

    Jace hums in approval.  _ “Good job, babe. We’ll be there soon.” _

 

_     “Isn’t this the time where one of you says ‘over and out’?” _

 

_     “ _ **_Simon._ ** _ ” _

 

_     “Sorry!” _

 

    “How have you both dated him and survived?” Rafael groans as he eyes Maia and Isabelle. “If I dated him, I’d rather be buried.  _ Again. _ ”

 

    “He’s not that bad” Maia snorts. “His geekiness is kinda cute.”

 

    Isabelle grins and raises an eyebrow. “Not to mention he’s like a solid 20 out of 10 in bed.” Rafael looks like he’s about to hurl while Maia simply hums and nods in approval after a second of debating.

 

_     “By the way Maia, how are you and Becky doing?” _ Meliorn asks calmly.  _ “Good, I hope?” _

 

    Maia offers a shy simper and presses her earpiece to respond, “We’re doing just fine, Meliorn. Thank you for asking. We had our first date the other day.”

 

_     “Wait, Becky?” _ Simon cuts in, sounding alarmed. “As in my sister Becky?!”

 

_     “Aw, that’s so cute.” _

 

_     “Where did you take her?” _

 

_     “That’s good to hear,” _ Meliorn comments in the midst of the others ‘awwing’ over each other. 

 

_     “No, hold up, what the fuck did I miss?!” _ Simon shrieks.  _ “Maia, what the fuck?” _

 

    Alec sighs, _“That’s a story for another time, Simon. Focus on the mission.”_

 

_     “I have so many questions! Like how? When? Where? Why? Did you hide the fact that you’re a lesbian from me—” _ Simon yapped.

 

    “—Bi, actually—” Maia denies but Simon just continues carrying on like she didn’t say anything.

 

_     “—despite us dating for like 2 months? Why did this never come up? Or,” _ he gasps dramatically  _ “wait a minute, what if I was so horrible in bed that I turned her lesbian?” _

 

    Maia groans and slaps her hand to her forehead.

 

    Jace growls into the intercom,  _ “Simon, if you don’t shut your fucking mouth, I swear to the Angel—” _

 

_     “Right. Shutting up. Got it. Sorry.” _

 

    Rafael sends Maia and Isabelle a seething look but all Isabelle could offer was an unsure smile and a half-assed shrug. Maia was too busy trying to hide behind her in sheer embarrassment. Rafael suddenly whips his head up and his entire expression tenses.

 

    “Shit, sorry Alec, we’ve been compromised” he rushes into his intercom before readying his weapon; a pair of nunchucks. Isabelle immediately grabs her whip and Maia lifts her pant leg to unsheathe her hidden daggers.

 

_     “That’s alright. Do your best. We’re just about there.” _

 

    Isabelle’s the first to launch an attack by throwing her whip outwards, wrapping it around the throat of a Shax demon and yanking. The demon yelps before abruptly vaporizing into ash. Several demons roared in anger before they began charging at them.

 

    “Let’s do this shit!” A Shadowhunter bellows as she meets a demon head on with her Chinese dagger high in the air. Isabelle hones in with her added senses, thanks to Maia, as she battled with two Ravener demons at once. She quickly dodges the talons and uses her sword to cut one of them off while using her whip to wrap around the other, giving it another yank and disintegrating the demon in a second. When she looks up, she spots Alec and Jace, with a crowd of Shadowhunters, vampires, and werewolves behind them, running towards Clary and Simon. Clary turns her head, making eye contact with her briefly before Isabelle ducks under a swipe. She leans to the right, to the left, then backwards to dodge more quick swipes aimed at her throat. The demon hisses at her and goes to swipe again before suddenly freezing. Alarmed, Isabelle blinks and takes a step back as the demon emits quiet, little choking noises. She then notices two swords sticking out of the demon’s abdomen. Clary’s kindjal daggers. The demon poofs out of existence, leaving Clary in full view. She stands straight and grins smugly at her soon-to-be parabatai before turning to face the crowd of demons that continue swarming at them.

 

    “Figured a girl should help another girl out,” she teases. 

 

    Isabelle chuckles and steps forward to join her side. “How humble of you, Clary. Now, let’s kick some demon ass. Together.”

 

    The grin on Clary’s face widens as she widens her center. “With pleasure.”

 

 

* * *

  
  
  


    Alec races through the corridors, ducking and dodging the dangling arms and talons of demons as he passes by them. He barely dodges the last one at the end of the hall and hears his shirt rip from the contact but Jace is quick to shove his Seraph blade through the demon’s throat. Alec skids to a stop once he’s in the middle of an intersection of hallways. He looks down each hallway as he spins around, trying to make up his mind on which way he should go. There’s only one hallway that had demons pooling out of it, hissing and clawing their way at them while the others remained dark, empty, and ominous. But one closer look at one of them (Alec notices a little sign engraved into the right side of the archway and notices that it was a symbol of Lucifer) and Alec is bolting down the hallway as he yanks four arrows out of his quiver at once. He hears Jace and the running footsteps of his allies, along with the mixtures of hisses and talons scraping against the marble floors, echoing behind him. Alec notices a rather beat-up looking door at the end of the hallway and charges faster. Once he reaches it, he lifts his leg to kick it down before steadily aiming his multiple arrows at an all too familiar figure looming near a book cage. Lucifer, despite all the noise, is alarmed at the appearance of Alec Lightwood bursting his door down. He doesn’t have time to react as not one but four arrows are shooting through the air and embedding into his torso.

 

    “I was wondering when you’d do up,” Lucifer grunts from his crumbled spot on the ground. “But you’ve got some balls coming to my realm, Nephilim, I’ll give you that.”

 

    Alec tips his head back to sneer down at the demon. He says nothing as he steps closer with slow deliberate steps, readying more arrows as he does so. Lucifer grins at him despite taking the metallic tinge of his own blood on his tongue.

 

    “That’s the spirit,” he coos. “‘Bout time you Shadowhunters faced your problems instead of waiting until they bite you in the ass, huh? This is an interesting turn of events. Make no mistake, Lightwood, I may have been weakened tremendously thanks to your warlock boyfriend but,” Lucifer hisses quietly as he yanks an arrow out of his chest, legs a little wobbly as he stands up, “I’m pretty sure I’m still powerful enough to defeat you and your little entourage.”

 

    “Bring it on” Alec hisses through his teeth. “Or are you all bark, no bite?”

 

    Lucifer laughs maniacally as his blood red energy sparkles at his palms. “Oh this will be interesting indeed.”

 

    The man is still quick on his feet and it takes Alec a second to adjust his sight so he could see Lucifer zig-zagging at inhuman speed towards him. He watches keenly more a moment before aiming his arrows at a wall. After letting them go, they bounce off of the steels rafters above with a loud  _ cling _ noise and rain down on the devil. Lucifer cries out when the arrows burrow deep into his back, making him crumble to his knee. He raises his head and glares over at Alec before lifting a hand. Alec was reaching back to grab more of his arrows when he was suddenly lifted into the air and thrown to the side and through the barely stable wall. When he lands, it’s a painful two story fall and he finds it hard to breathe as his vision swims. Above him, he vaguely makes out a head peeking out from the hole his body just caused. His instincts kick in and he begins moving although his body is screaming at him to stay still. The ringing in his ear is still loud and clear, making him wince a little when he turns his head. He’s a little slow to realize that there’s people and demons everywhere around him but when he does, panic begins to set in. Isabelle is unconscious. Maia and Clary are struggling to hold their own against 7 Shax demons as she stands protectively in front of her. Simon is also down with a nasty looking wound on his side. Rafael is with him, pressing his hands into the gashes in an attempt to stop the bleeding. Alec also spots Meliorn and Jace — who had gotten pushed back outside despite being behind him merely moments ago — as more and more demons coming flying at them in all directions.

 

    “Did you forget I rule this realm?” Lucifer tsks as he shakes his head. The ringing in Alec’s ear fades considerably and he’s able to make out his words and the shouts of his comrades. The demon stands in front of Alec, blocking his view of his parabatai nearly getting decapitated if it wasn’t for Meliorn.

 

“Did you honestly think you all could storm in here and try to defeat me when my children lay here waiting?” Lucifer bends down so he’s eye-to-eye with Alec and grins smugly at him. “You may be skilled thanks to some special training but that doesn’t mean any of you are up to par once you enter  _ my _ world. I mean, look at your lover. He died facing me, remember?” Alec’s expression hardens as he struggles to stand up. “Maybe you don’t. Well, here’s a little reminder.”

 

    Alec barely has time to react, body still feeling like he’s trudging through quick sand, when Lucifer shoots forward and presses his palms to Alec’s face; his index fingers digging into his temples. Then suddenly, something red hot is flaring through his system; igniting his nerves and sending him to his knees. Alec  _ screams _ . Lucifer grins and presses a little harder, sending flash images of the other day into his mind. Alec squeezes his eyes shut the images appear one by one his head.

 

    The sight of Magnus barely able to stand as he faces Lucifer with a determined expression.

 

    Magnus blocking Lucifer’s sword with his arms.

 

    Magnus looking back at him, eyes wide with fear at the two lightning bolts race towards them.

 

    Magnus on the ground; shirt ripped, eyes glossy, arm extended out to try to reach him one last time as the silent whisper of Alec’s name leaves his lips.

 

_     “Aku cinta kamu, Alexander.” _ Magnus’ voice echoes in his head.

 

    Magnus.

 

    Magnus.

 

**_Magnus._ **

 

    Lucifer cackles wildly. “Now you see! Here’s a little more while you’re at it!”

 

    Alec cries out and reaches up with shaking hands, grasping on to Lucifer’s wrists in an attempt to stop the overload of memories bombarding him. But it only keeps coming.

 

    Magnus’ lingering touch on his cheek, wiping Alec’s tear away.

 

    Magnus’ dead, empty eyes staring up at him as he took his last breath.

 

    Magnus’ limp body hanging his arms as Alec stood up.

 

    It was all too painful. All too much to be reminded of such a fresh memory when he’s still being haunted by it. It’s breaching him, clouding into his core and digging into his lungs, and all it takes for him to snap was the final glimpse of Magnus’ cat eyes fading away.

  
  


[ mood  “i’m not afraid” by tommee profitt ft wondra ]

  
  


    Lucifer yells out as he suddenly yanked back by a strong pulse of power. He slams through the wall of his castle and skids across the marble flooring before ultimately coming to a halt. Lucifer allows himself to breathe for a couple of seconds before he makes a motion to begin standing up when he notices that the pulse of power had tinged his shirt and pants. A confused  _ what the? _ leaves his lips and he quickly snaps his head up.

 

    “Did you forget that Magnus and I are  _ Fatali Animarum _ ?” Alec asks flatly. “Or did you happen to forget that some of his power is in my veins?” Lucifer’s eyes widen. He’s completely frozen as he watches Alec slowly stand up to his feet. He’s rendered breathless —  _ terrified _ , actually — at the sight of red, demonic energy swirling around Alec’s figure like a tornado; bringing up dust and debris with it. 

 

    Alec hums at the silence that answers him. “Yes? Well, here’s a  _ little reminder. _ ” Lucifer jolts when the Shadowhunter’s eyes snap open to reveal a pair of angry cat eyes. “Magnus and I…  _ we are one. _ ”

 

    Lucifer quickly stands up and doesn’t hesitate to make a run for it. With Alec somehow possessing Magnus’ power, and those threatening cat eyes of his, Lucifer knew he was done for. So as a last resort, he begins to turn into his real form; spreading his bat wings and soaring up into the sky. He doesn’t make it far, for something wraps around his ankle and  _ slams _ him back down to the ground. A scream rips out of Lucifer’s throat when he feels something slicing through his stomach and when he looks down, he duly notes that there’s a piece of steel sticking out of him. Grunting, he tries to shift his body a little so he could see just what the hell pulled him down. There was something still wrapped around his ankle: a whip of some sort? It was materialized out of sparkling red energy and it burned through his pant leg. If he wasn’t Lucifer himself, then he was sure he’d be dealing this battle with a loss of a limb.

 

    Following the trail of the whip slowly, it eventually leads towards Alec; who is holding the beginning of it in his palm. Lucifer also notices the silver ring adorning his ring finger; the cursive ‘M’ revealing itself to him as Alec shifts his hand to pull on the whip, dragging Lucifer across the floor towards him. The metal digs through Lucifer’s flesh and he screams out when it’s harshly ripped out of him. A hand shoots out and clamps around his throat before another sound could leave him. Lucifer chokes, hands fumbling as they try to grasp on to Alec’s arm. But no matter how much he pulses his own sizzling energy at his opponent, he doesn’t budge. Doesn’t even flinch or blink an eye as he draws his face closer.

 

    “It’s kind of humorous, don’t you think?” Alec smirks. “The Devil himself, at a mere Shadowhunter’s mercy. This wouldn’t have happened if you dared not to kill the love of my life.”

 

    “Are you going to talk me to death?” Lucifer rasps as his fingernails dig into Alec’s flesh. The man remains unfazed. “Or are you actually going to kill me?”

 

“Maybe I want to play with my prey for a little bit,” Alec purrs as he tightens his grasp. “Watch you try to grasp that one last breath of air. Watch you die like I had to. Or maybe,” his eyes flick somewhere above Lucifer’s ahead and the corner of his mouth lips in a lopsided smirk, “maybe I should let your  _ children _ tear you to bits themselves.”

 

    Lucifer frowns in confusion. He peers over Alec’s shoulder and it’s like a bucket of ice water dumping on him; his children, his demons, have stopped attacking everyone. They’re instead standing around them with intent gazes. They were patiently waiting, heads cocked to the sides as they stared down at him.

 

    “The one who controls Hell controls its demons” Alec chuckles “I think even your children know who’s next in command.”

 

    “But… you’re just a… Nephilim…” Lucifer chokes, squirming in his hold to try to escape it. “You can’t possibly rule my realm! You’re… not even a Downworlder.”

 

    Alec raises an eyebrow at him and narrows his cat eyes. “Oh I don’t wish to rule your realm. I have more important matters to deal with on the surface. However, it doesn’t mean I don’t wish to control your demons for a few moments.” At Lucifer’s confused frown, Alec grins at him. He shoves the demon back, finally releasing him of his hold, and watches the man collapse on to the ground in a coughing fit.

 

    “How can you possibly control my demons?” Lucifer hacked as he rubs his aching throat, sending the man standing in front of him a harsh glare. “You don’t have an ounce of demon blood in you.”

 

    “You got me there. However, I don’t need demon blood to do it. I just need,” he reaches into his pocket to pull out a seemingly innocent looking pocket knife, “ _ this _ little trinket.” Alec uses the power coursing through his veins as he waves his palm over the knife.

 

    Lucifer gasps quietly. “The Mortal Cup…”

 

    “You see, the last time we saw each other, you were prepared,” muses Alec, calm and collected as he traces his index finger around the rim. “You were two steps ahead. You used us to get through Magnus knowing that he’d rather protect us than himself.” His hazel cat eyes flick up to meet a pair of terrified red orbs. “That was the biggest mistake you could’ve ever made.”

 

    “No… n-no, wait —  _ wait! _ ” Lucifer begs. He scrambles, fumbles, and tumbles with himself as he stands to his feet; hand extending out to Alec. “I can bring him back!”

 

    Alec narrows his eyes and stares critically at him. “There’d be no way of knowing what he’d be like if you bring him back. For all I know, you could turn him completely against me and make him be consumed by his demonic nature. So, unfortunately, that’s a no from me,” he rejects tersely before lifting the cup in the air. It glints as the lights hit it just right and the demons surrounding them roar, snarl, and hiss as if letting out war cries; as if barely able to contain themselves from charging at his opponent. 

 

    “If you meet Asmodeus in purgatory,” says Alec, “I hope he gives you hell.”

 

    He watches, satisfied and content, as the demons lunge forward. Lucifer’s screams of pleas and begs resonated through the air. Then there was sweet silence.

 

 

* * *

  
  
  


    Watching Alec channel Magnus’ sliver of power was fascinating and terrifying. When the demons suddenly stopped attacking, Jace and Meliorn were seriously confused. However one look over at Alec and all of their questions were answered. Magnus’ enchanted ring sat perfectly on his ring finger. It was glowing a solid angry red color, the same color that swirled menacingly around him, dancing around his fingertips and lighting up his cat eyes. Of course when Jace noticed said cat eyes, he had to do a double take.

 

    Needless to say, an angry cat eyed Alec Lightwood channeling the power of an immensely destructive warlock was both intimidating and a sight to behold. Jace could only wonder how their mother would react upon finding this out.

 

    When Lucifer was defeated and the demons peacefully let them be thanks to the Mortal Cup Alec held in his hand, a portal was opened and then they were back in the middle of the ops room in Brooklyn. Jace remembered the looks on everyone’s faces when they saw Alec: frozen, eyes wide, and jaws hanging open. Alec, however, was disturbingly calm as he handed his stunned mother the Mortal Cup. With shaking hands, she took it and tried to utter out a question but all that came out was stuttered syllables and noises. Alec had given her a look of amusement for a brief second before he closed his eyes, took a deep breath as he ran his thumb over the ring, and reopened his eyes. They were back to hazel. The angry red energy spiraling around him slowly disappeared.

 

    “You” Alec lifts a hand to point at Ragnor (who couldn’t seem to pick his jaw up from the floor) and Rafael. “You both owe me some answers.”

 

    And that’s how the gang all ended up in the private room that was originally assigned for Downworld Leader meetings. Ragnor and Rafael immediately began sputtering and stuttering, utterly amazed at how flawlessly Alec took ahold of the power and was in complete control the entire time.

 

    “The power should’ve killed you. His magic should’ve killed you,  _ it all should’ve killed you _ ,” Rafael rambles. “But I guess his magic recognized you due to you two being  _ Fatali Animarum _ . That’s the only reason it makes sense. You were able to harness his power and will it in your hands while being in control. You didn’t need an anchor to pull you out like I did and you  _ definitely _ didn’t nearly set yourself on fire.”

 

    Alec raises a perturbed eyebrow at him. “You nearly set yourself on fire?”

 

    “In case you haven’t noticed, Magnus’ top magic ability is fire. He created the Hell’s inferno. To say that he is fire itself, is an understatement.” Rafael deadpans.

 

    “So he’s like a phoenix,” theorizes Simon. “The embodiment of fire. Born from the ashes.”

 

    A look of somber dares to cross on Ragnar's expression. “His warlock mark may be cat eyes but he was always a phoenix at heart.”

 

    With the knowledge that Alec can safely wear Magnus’ ring from here on out with getting dissolved into a puff of smoke was news to everyone. Alec wasn’t immortal, not quite, but with Magnus’ power in him, he’d be able to live longer than his comrades and his own powers would be heightened. Of course with the added bonus that Alec has a ring that allows him the ability to harness a Prince of Hell’s magic.

 

    “Wait, quick question!” Clary exclaims, shooting her arm up like she was a middle schooler in class. “Lucifer was the ruler of Hell… but with him dead, what does that make Magnus?”

 

    There was a pregnant pause before Catarina answers, “if the spell Asmodeus works and Magnus awakens, then Magnus would be considered the only surviving Prince of Hell and the title of Ruler would fall on to his shoulders.”

 

    Isabelle swallows, “Fuck.”

 

_     Fuck indeed. _

 

    Lucifer was gone. Dead. Asmodeus is gone too and Magnus… could also be possibly gone. Forever. The thought of never seeing Magnus again, never holding him and looking in his eyes pulled on his heart strings. He felt his heart stutter in his chest the more they talked about Magnus, the spell, his condition, and the aftermath of Lucifer’s madness. He had to leave. Feeling suffocated and claustrophobic, he had to leave. 

 

    So he did. 

 

    He barely uttered a single word of explanation to his sister or Jace as he left the room. Alec could feel the threat of tears hanging in his eyes halfway towards his office. The shakiness of his palms, the fogginess of his thoughts and the overwhelming, churning feeling of panic laying heavy in his stomach. He suddenly felt the need to throw up.

  
  


[ mood ↺ “you are the reason” by calum scott ]

  
  


    Barely able to slam the door behind him and put up the Private ward, Alec just made it to his bathroom in time before he did actually throw up. The bitter taste lingered on his taste buds and he had to brush his teeth twice in order to get rid of it. With a heavy nauseous feeling and a pounding in his head, Alec changes into looser clothes (in an attempt to feel less constricted and suffocated) and buried himself into his blankets. Before he pulls the ring off of his finger, he taps into the magic and shuts all of the blinds and turns off the lights so that his room is engulfed in darkness. Yanking the covers over his head, Alec finally let himself cry. He lets himself break down into the silk fabric of his pillow as he hugs it to his chest.

 

    All he wanted to do right now is just hold him and be held in return. But he can’t. And he most likely will never get to.

 

    Shifting the pillow away from him, he feels something tugging on the fabric and the slight strain of something around his neck. Frowning in confusion, he sits up and lets the blanket fall off of him. Unable to see just what caught on to his pillow, he reaches over and blindly turns on the lamp after a few misses and fumbles. The light flicked on and Alec glances down at his pillow to see the pendant that Magnus had gifted him caught on the fabric of the pillow. He had forgotten he was wearing it. With careful, yet quaky, fingers, Alec managed to de-tangle the pendant safely without damaging the crystal. Leaning back against his large headboard, Alec sighs as he runs the pad of his thumb over the crystal; a small smile dancing on his lips at the memory of when Magnus insisted that Alec should be the new owner of the necklace.

 

_     It was a few hours after Magnus had ended up in the Institute. A few hours after his panic attack, and merely a few moments after Alec had kissed him for the first time. He had calmed down thanks to Alec and stopped crying. His eyes were still a little red and puffy but they glistened as they stared up at him; nothing but devotion pouring out of his bourbon eyes. _

 

_     Alec was infatuated with every ounce of Magnus Bane. _

 

_     “I see you found my pendant,” Magnus notes against Alec’s lips. His voice was low in a hushed, gentle tone and Alec could feel the smile against his own lips. A hum rumbles deep in his throat as he leans in for another toe tingling kiss; unable to resist those sinful tiers. Magnus chuckles quietly into the kiss but it soon develops into a small gasp when Alec trails bold fingers up Magnus’ side, underneath his shirt, and against the smooth expanse of his skin. _

 

_     “Do you want it back?” is a mumbled response against Magnus’ jawline. “It is yours, after all.” _

 

_     Magnus’ smile widens as his eyes flutter. He unconsciously tilts his head to the side when he feels teeth grazing against his pulse and raises a hand to tangle into Alec’s disheveled locks.  “Keep it, Alexander.” _

 

_     Alec regrettably pulls back after a small pause to look into Magnus’ eyes. “Magnus, you already gave me your ring. How can I possibly keep this too?” When Magnus opens his mouth to respond, Alec cuts him off with a searing kiss and grumbles against his mouth, “If you dare say ‘takes this as a sign of my gratitude’, I will leave you laying here in this bed for the rest of the night.” _

 

_     Magnus is too busy laughing to properly kiss him back. “Can’t I give you gifts, Alexander?” _

 

_     “ _ You _ are the best gift I could’ve ever hoped for Magnus,” Alec counters. Magnus finally silences at the pure honesty in Alec’s words. “And I’m satisfied to be breathing the same air as you let alone share moments like this with you.” _

 

_     “My, my…” muses Magnus as he caresses Alec’s cheek. “I never knew a Shadowhunter like you could be a softie deep down. That was poetry you just said, Alexander. Poetry.” _

 

_     Alec snorts despite the heat crawling up his cheeks. “Better than Shakespeare?” _

 

_     “Better than Edgar Allan Poe.” _

 

_     They kissed until the sun finally dipped completely under the horizon and the moon shined through the open balcony doors. They kissed until they were both breathless, until their lips were red and kiss swollen. They kissed, but didn’t do any further than that, and simply curled up into each other’s arms as sleep began numbing their senses. And before Alec allowed himself to fall asleep, he recalled seeing Magnus’ fingertips graze against the back of the pendant. _

 

    And just like the memory, like how Magnus did, Alec allows his own fingertips to drift towards the back of the pendant to he could trace the four lettered word engraved on the back. His fingers halt to a stop and he frowns. He feels way more lines that he recalls and it causes him to quickly take off the necklace, flip the pendant over, and examine the back of it.

 

_     Amor _ was originally engraved there, but it had been replaced by three foreign words.

 

    The same word Magnus had chanted to him before he died in his arms.

 

_     Aku Cinta Kamu. _

 

    Alec knew  _ amor _ stood for love in Latin but what did this mean? What language was it in?

 

    Deciding to figure it out for himself, he grabs his cellphone and taps on the Chrome icon (both Clary, Simon, and Isabelle lectured Alec long ago about him not knowing what the Internet was, let alone Google, so they practically tortured him with a four hour long “Tutorial on How To Internet”). He’s brought up to Google’s search engine and quickly types in aku cinta kamu. The first few results are explaining about how to speak formally in Indonesian and Alec can’t help but feel a little dumb.

 

    “Of course it’s Indonesian, he  _ is _ Indonesian,” he chastised to himself. Magnus had spoken to him in his native tongue and now suddenly Alec wants to learn every single word; finding it beautiful how the words had slipped off of Magnus’ tongue so delicately.

 

    Alec scrolls further down, eyebrows drawing together as his eyes scanned the search results. He wasn’t finding what he was looking for but one glance down at the ‘Searched related to aku cinta kamu’, he catches on to the first option. He taps on ‘aku cinta kamu indonesian to english’ and is immediately faced with the Google Translator.

 

_     I love you. _

 

    Alec drops his phone as he gasps for a breath. The tears back now, rolling quickly down his cheeks, clinging to his jawline before dropping and staining his shirt.

 

_ Aku cinta kamu _ means  _ I love you _ .

 

    Magnus had taken a moment to change the engraving on the back of the pendant without Alec noticing — he numbly recalls the moment when Magnus lay dying his arms, touching the pendant as he murmurs those words and realizes that was the moment he had changed it.

 

    Magnus’ last words were  _ I love you _ .

 

    Alec spent the entire night crying into his pillow.

 

 

* * *

  
  
  


    He remembered closing his eyes, the haunting glimpse of the tear-stained face hanging above him, begging him to  _ stay, stay with me _ still lingering in the back of his head. He remembered closing his eyes, fully expecting to never open them, yet here is. Eyes open and studying the darkness around him. It was like he was standing in the pitch blackness of his shattered realm; nothing around him, no sound, no signs of life. A void of everything except for the cold blackness that wrapped itself around his shaking form like a poisonous veil.

 

    He could see his own breathe in the air; a mere cloud forming in front of him before disappearing. Goosebumps dotted along his skin and he quickly rubbed his hands against his arms in an attempt to spark some warmth.

 

    Where the hell is he? What is this place?

 

    In his own confusion, he fails to notice the shimmering light glowing behind him. Only when he turns around does he notice it. It’s a huge contrast against the darkness around him that he has to lift his hand to shield his eyes from the undulating orb in front of him. When his eyes finally adjusted to the light, he spreads his fingers a little so he could take a peek over at the orb. It was hovering in the air, like he was, and remained still and bright. Snow white and sparkling with life.

 

    Intrigued and feeling oddly drawn to it, he’s moving closer before he even realizes it. As he gets closer, he could feel the warmth radiating off of the orb and it eased his tense muscles, the weariness of his jumbling head, and the quake of his heart. As he gets closer, he realizes that the orb is emitting flash images. They’re too quick for him to really get a glimpse of but he does see familiar faces in them. Now, he stood in front of the orb and feels himself waver in hesitation. Testing the waters, he lifts his hand slowly to brush his fingers against the orb. Suddenly, the warmth engulfs him; erasing the stale coldness and he suddenly felt like he was being reborn.

 

    He closes his eyes and lets the light of the orb consume him. What he sees is the same flash images as before, but more clear. 

 

    He sees all different kinds of demons. 

 

    Fire. Blood. Dirt. 

 

    He sees a whip, arrow splitting through the air, a Seraph blade plunging through the flesh of a Shax demon.

 

    He hears the shouts of words he can’t distinguish but vaguely recognizes the owners. The sounds of foots scuffling against marble floors, of loud banging noises and pained grunts. Of wild laughter and war cries.

 

    The last thing he sees is a pair of angry cat eyes that shined that same color of blood.

  
  


* * *

  
  


    Next to Alec’s sleeping form, sitting innocently on the nightstand, sat the silver ring. The room was still dark, no light source coming from anywhere but the ring was like a beacon, like a lighthouse to the ships in a stormy seas.

 

    For the delicate cursive letter M was beginning to glow a soft red hue, showing the signs of a heart beat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't get a chance to proof-read this chapter, for I don't have enough time to at the moment. But I plan on proof-reading the entire story (so far) starting like tomorrow maybe. So don't mind the grammatical issues and stuff. I'll handle it soon.
> 
> But see? I told you he's coming back.
> 
> Next chapter is the epic Malec reunion. Look forward to it.


	10. authors note

I just wanted to apologize for not updating in so long. I took a personal hiatus and it lasted longer than I thought it would. Please note that I don't plan on abandoning this work or anything like that. I still have the future updates, although there's not many left, in my head so I know exactly what I plan on writing. So writer's block was definitely not an issue, I just struggled with muse for... everything. I quit social media, as you could probably tell since I haven't even touched my Twitter and quit basically everythijh for like 2 months. I'm doing better, mentally and emotionally. At least better enough to start getting back into the rhythm of things.

 

So do not worry.

The next chapter to War of Hearts is still in the works and will be posted soon. Thank you.


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